Kinshasa Military Court to Hear Case of Alleged ANR Abduction and Torture

February 20, 2026 - The Kinshasa/Gombe Military Court has scheduled the first hearing in the case between Claudien Likulia, son of former Human Rights Minister Marie-Ange Mushobekwa, and Philémon Mambabwa Zebo, a senior official at the National Intelligence Agency (ANR). The hearing is set for Thursday, February 26, at the court’s premises on 46 Lubefu Avenue, Gombe, Kinshasa. Marie-Ange Mushobekwa alleges that on December 21, 2025, her two minor children, Claudien (18) and Christopher Likulia (17), along with a 17-year-old friend, were abducted, tied up, beaten, and tortured at the private residence of the ANR official. She claims the attack was carried out by seven police officers and soldiers acting on Mambabwa’s orders. Describing the incident as “arbitrary, brutal, and disproportionate”, Mushobekwa emphasized that her children were unarmed, not wanted by the police, and present by invitation, yet suffered serious physical and psychological trauma, including visible bruises, difficulty sitting, and functional impairment of one hand. Mushobekwa denounced the incident as an abuse of personal power and a state affair, criticizing the absence of administrative or judicial sanctions nearly three weeks after the event. She called for a fair and impartial trial, stating, “This is not a political matter; it is a moral test for the state,” and urged the authorities to take responsibility. The upcoming hearing will test the Congolese justice system’s ability to address alleged abuses by state security agents and deliver accountability for serious human rights violations.

Faits rapportés

February 20, 2026 - The Kinshasa/Gombe Military Court has scheduled the first hearing in the case between Claudien Likulia, son of former Human Rights Minister Marie-Ange Mushobekwa, and Philémon Mambabwa Zebo, a senior official at the National Intelligence Agency (ANR). The hearing is set for Thursday, February 26, at the court’s premises on 46 Lubefu Avenue, Gombe, Kinshasa. Marie-Ange Mushobekwa alleges that on December 21, 2025, her two minor children, Claudien (18) and Christopher Likulia (17), along with a 17-year-old friend, were abducted, tied up, beaten, and tortured at the private residence of the ANR official. She claims the attack was carried out by seven police officers and soldiers acting on Mambabwa’s orders. Describing the incident as “arbitrary, brutal, and disproportionate”, Mushobekwa emphasized that her children were unarmed, not wanted by the police, and present by invitation, yet suffered serious physical and psychological trauma, including visible bruises, difficulty sitting, and functional impairment of one hand. Mushobekwa denounced the incident as an abuse of personal power and a state affair, criticizing the absence of administrative or judicial sanctions nearly three weeks after the event. She called for a fair and impartial trial, stating, “This is not a political matter; it is a moral test for the state,” and urged the authorities to take responsibility. The upcoming hearing will test the Congolese justice system’s ability to address alleged abuses by state security agents and deliver accountability for serious human rights violations.