By Jacob Kubeka –
Incensed women in the Democratic Republic of Congo crowdfunded the $450 required after the trial of suspected gang rapists was postponed due to a lack of finances to send them to court, according to a spokesman.
In September 2020, a riot broke out in a jail in the southern city of Lubumbashi, and prison authorities lost control of the facility, according to the prosecution. Fifty-six women prisoners were sexually raped for three days by fellow inmates.
Prosecutors have already prosecuted ten individuals in connection with the rapes, which the victims claim resulted in the infection of three women with HIV/AIDS and 16 pregancies.
The trial’s first hearing, scheduled for October 28, was postponed after the state was unable to secure funding to transport the aforementioned 120 kilometres (75 miles) to Lubumbashi.
Mamie Umba, a spokeswoman for women’s organisations in the region, said, outraged women had decided to fund the trip so that the trial could go ahead.
“The 900,000 Congolese francs ($450) we are handing over are the result of local crowdfunding,” she told the press as she gave the cash to the prosecutor on Thursday.
Prosecutor Teddy Katumbo Lumbu saluted the effort, admitting “there had been a lack of means to transport the accused” to court.
Godelive Yemba, a spokeswoman for an association of women journalists in Lubumbashi, said justice was long overdue.
“It’s already been a year since 56 women were raped in the Kasapa prison without any justice being done,” she said.
“We need the rapists to appear in court.”
Kasapa prison warden Ilunga Dilamuna Konde said two more suspected rapists in the case had died in prison.
He said 36 of the victims had been released after serving their time, while 16 more remained behind bars.
The prosecution was keeping four more survivors of the mass assault under witness protection, Umba said.
The rapes occurred on September 25, 26 and 27, 2020 after as the city was attacked by a militia group.
Source: TheEastAfrican.co.ke