Unintentional homicide in Kinshasa: An autopsy requested on the victim’s body

Kinshasa, October 14^th, 2026 (CPA): – The victim’s family, in a case of an unintentional homicide caused by a shove, has demanded, on Wednesday, a medical examination to clarify the circumstances leading to the death of Sarrive Mutombo, the 11-year-old, during a hearing on Wednesday at the Children’s Court in Kinshasa-Kinkole, in the East of the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Before proceeding, we demand that an autopsy be carried out on the victim’s body,” Mr Alex Kamanda has pleaded, representing the victim’s family. In response, Mr Richard Mungu, the lawyer for 12-year-old Fiston Tshimanga, the child in conflict with the law, has asked the Court to make all parties contribute to the cost of the autopsy because, in his view, his client’s criminal liability has not yet been established. “The payment of the costs for the autopsy must be shared by both parties; my client has not yet been found guilty. The two children were playing, and Sarrive was running. Suddenly, he had fallen into an uncovered septic tank, because it was unfinished, and had died. It was not my client who had pushed him into the septic tank,” he has said. According to the public prosecutor, the Court must summon the owner of the plot, a certain Mr Koffi, who has not been further identified, who had dug a septic tank and failed to cover it, to appear in court. “On behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, we request the appearance of Mr Koffi, who has not been otherwise identified, the owner of the plot (…), who has dug a septic tank and left it uncovered, which has resulted the death of the young boy. He must appear before this Court, and we will take the necessary action,” he has indicated. The Court has adjourned the case for two weeks and has decided to summon the owner of the plot of land where the young Sarrive has died following an alleged shove by his friend. “Taking into account the opinion of the public prosecutor, the Court has decided to summon Mr Koffi, whose full name is not known, the owner of the plot of land on which the boy Sarrive has died, to appear before it. This case is adjourned for two weeks to continue the investigation,” Florence Ngalula, President of the Court, has declared.