Tshombe ‘Probably’ Saw Lumumba’s Murder

Press, Volume C, Issue 29672, 16 November 1961, Page 8

Tshombe ‘Probably’ Saw Lumumba’s Murder

(N.Z.P.A.-Reu£er—Copirtsht) NEW YORK, November 15. The President of Katanga (Mr Moise Tshombe) “in all probability” witnessed the murder of his bitter political foe, Mr Patrice Lumumba, according to a four-member commission, composed of African and Asian jurists, which presented its report to the United Nations yesterday.

. The report also said .that the Congolese President (Mr Joseph Kasavubui should not “escape responsibility" for the death of Lumumba, who was the country's first Prime Minister.

The report added that “a great deal of suspicion” *in Mr Lumumba's murder was cast ou a Belgian mercenary named Colonel Huyghe, while another Belgian. Captain Gat, was suspected of having been an accessory.

“Staging” Alleged The commission described as "staged” the account released last February 13 by Katanga authorities saying Lumumba and two associates were killed by tribesmen on the day before. On the contrary, the commission accepted as substantially true evidence indicating that the fiery Congo leader and his associates were killed almost a month before in a villa not far from Elisabethville, the Katanga capital. It fixed the date as January 17.

The Associated Press said tiie commission singled out the Katanga Minister of the Interior (Mr Godefroid Munongo) for special blame. It said its findings ‘•bristled with evidence indicative of the extensive role” played by Mr Munongo in the deaths. The commission said that the Congo Government prevented it from going to the scene of the crime to carry out its investigations. It expressed the hope that its findings could serve as a basis for further investigation in the Congo, and “also in judicial proceedings which, in its view, should be instituted as soon as possible." Resolution Tabled Ceylon. Liberia and the United Arab Republic last night tabled a council resolution demanding that all secessionist activities in Katanga “shall cease forthwith.” The draft would also empower the Secretary-General

to “take vigorous action, Including the use of requisite measure of force, if necessary,” for the immediate apprehension and detention of all foreign mercenaries.