Italian court rules UN staff cannot be tried over Congo deaths
An Italian judge has ruled that two employees of a UN agency cannot be tried over the deaths of the Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, his bodyguard, and a driver in 2021 because they have diplomatic immunity.
Luca Attanasio, bodyguard Vittorio Iacovacci, and their driver Mustapha Milambo were killed during a botched kidnapping on a road in eastern Congo as they were heading toward a World Food Programme (WFP) project.
Rome prosecutors had requested a trial for Rocco Leone and Mansour Luguru Rwagaza, who at the time of the attack were respectively the deputy chief of the WFP in Congo and a security officer, accusing the pair of negligence in organising the trip.
However, Judge Marisa Mosetti ruled on Tuesday that as employees of the United Nations, the two men enjoyed diplomatic immunity and could not therefore be tried.
The prosecutors said they would appeal.
A Democratic Republic of Congo military court last year sentenced six men to life in prison for the killings.
Eastern Congo has been beset by violence for decades as rival militias fight government troops and each other for control of land and resources.
Kidnappings and attacks on aid convoys had been on the rise at the time of the assault on Mr Attanasio and his entourage.
(Reuters/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
NationWide
Lawmakers want Nigeria to ditch presidential form of government, adopt parliamentary system
The lawmakers said they were not clamouring for an immediate transition to parliamentary but hoped that by 2031, the nation would have adopted the system.
Politics
Gov. Diri, deputy sworn in for second term
Mr Diri expressed gratitude to the people for voting for him for a second term in office.
Politics
No voting held in Enugu South rerun election: PDP Candidate
“This election should not hold and should not stand. That is the PDP stand,” he said.
NationWide
Reps seek ban on styrofoam, single-use plastic in Nigeria
Currently, the product is illegal in Lagos and Abia states.
World
Over 500,000 livestock freeze to death in Mongolia
According to the National Statistics Office, the number of livestock in Mongolia stood at 64.7 million at the end of 2023.
Abuja
Wike places N20 million bounty on wanted Abuja kidnappers
“Go and fish them out, wherever they are. I want to see them dead or alive,” said Mr Wike.
