DR Congo: Sixty years on, assassination of Patrice Lumumba remains unpunished

Sixty years ago, Patrice Emery Lumumba, the first Congolese prime minister, was assassinated. His killing by Congolese and Belgian officers sparked global outrage, instantly turning Lumumba into a national hero and a symbol of the dashed hopes of post-independence Africa. The exact circumstances of his death have remained unclear to this day. Belgium has admitted its « moral responsibility » in the killing, but stopped short of naming those responsible. Lumumba’s family and a handful of investigators continue to fight for the truth.