Belgian court decides on holding trial over 1961 Congo leader murderPatrice Lumumba became Congolese leader when the country gained independence but was assassinated a short while later. (Photo: AFP)BRUSSELS — A Brussels court is to decide Tuesday whether a 93-year-old former Belgian diplomat should stand trial over the 1961 killing of Congolese independence icon Patrice Lumumba. A fiery critic of Belgium's colonial rule, Lumumba became his country's first prime minister after it gained independence in 1960. After entering the diplomatic service in 1959, Davignon rose through the ranks after his early involvement in Congolese independence talks. During the handover, then Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo reiterated the government's "apologies" for its "moral responsibility" in Lumumba's disappearance.

Source: Bangkok Post March 17, 2026 15:51 UTC