Two killed at funeral for slain east Congo musician

26/3/2025 16:58

Police in eastern Congo killed two people on Tuesday when they opened fire on mourners at the funeral of a slain singer known for denouncing both his own government and the Rwandan-backed rebels occupying much of the country's east, witnesses said.



Thousands of Congolese had gathered to pay their last respects to Delcat Idengo, trailing his car-shaped coffin through the streets of his hometown Beni.



Throughout the day, mourners chanted against the M23 rebels that they blame for killing Idengo last month after taking control of Goma, eastern Congo's biggest city, as well as the government that had repeatedly arrested him.



M23 has not directly addressed accusations that its fighters killed Idengo.



In Beni, which is nearly 200 km (120 miles) north of Goma and under Congolese government control, violence broke out after Idengo had been buried, with police opening fire on hostile crowds. Witnesses said they saw two people killed.