Man Dies in Detention After Alleged Torture by Wazalendo Militiamen in Musimba

Lubero, February 10, 2026 - A man from Kirumba, in Lubero territory, died on Sunday, February 8, while detained in an underground cell allegedly run by Wazalendo militiamen in Musimba, on the southern outskirts of Butembo, in North Kivu.

According to local civil society sources in Musimba, the victim is said to have died after being subjected to torture while held in what residents describe as a clandestine detention facility. The man had initially been accused of rape, arrested, and later granted provisional release by judicial authorities.

However, the decision reportedly triggered opposition from those who had arrested him, who allegedly organized his re-arrest before transferring him to the Wazalendo militia.

He was subsequently taken to an underground cell in Musimba, where he later died. The exact circumstances of his death remain disputed. Leaders of the Wazalendo militia deny allegations of torture, claiming instead that the detainee committed suicide by hanging.

The incident has reignited concerns over human rights abuses attributed to certain local armed groups operating in the region. Civil society actors accuse some militias of conducting arbitrary arrests, operating illegal detention centers, and assuming roles reserved for judicial institutions without legal mandate.

Civil society representatives in Musienene report that the victim’s body remains at the morgue of the Musienene General Referral Hospital, pending burial arrangements.

In the wider area, particularly in the Baswagha chiefdom and Musienene, Wazalendo-affiliated fighters have repeatedly faced accusations of looting, harassment, sexual violence, illegal taxation, the establishment of unauthorized roadblocks, and other abuses against civilians.

Human rights organizations have previously raised alarm over violations committed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In a report published on August 20, Amnesty International denounced serious abuses involving both the M23 rebellion and certain local armed groups, including elements associated with the Wazalendo militia.

The latest death is likely to intensify calls for greater oversight of armed groups operating alongside or in support of local security efforts, as concerns grow over accountability and the protection of civilians.