The Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential chief of staff
Leonard She Okitundu blames supporters of the opposition for attacking him and posting pictures of his personal effects on the internet.
A senior member of the Congolese cabinet was attacked in London by a
gang who beat him around the head and body with a baseball bat, stripped him
and posted pictures of his clothes on the internet.
Scotland Yard last night launched an investigation into the assault
on Leonard She Okitundu, the chief of staff to Joseph Kabila, the president
of the Democratic Republic of Congo, amid questions over why a foreign
dignitary should be so vulnerable. The politician was left in the A&E of the
Middlesex Central hospital with no trousers, covered in a blanket. « The
police didn’t seem to care. No one helped me and I was naked, that would
never happen in my country, » he said.
« I wasn’t seen by a nurse for two hours and not by a doctor until
2am. I explained that I was a VIP … but no one cared to give me a pair of
trousers. The Foreign Office have done nothing to help me. »
Mr Okitundu believes the humiliation was orchestrated by Mr Kabila’s
enemies in London. He was due to appear on the Original Black Entertainment
TV channel when he and two colleagues were assaulted by more than 20 men
outside its studios in Park Royal, north west London.
His clothes were forcibly removed and his briefcase, containing
passport, money and credit cards, as well as official papers, were stolen.
His attackers posted pictures of Mr Okitundu’s monogrammed suit, his Mont
Blanc pen and the business cards of the MPs and officials that he had met
that day, as well as condoms that were in his pocket. His underpants were
captured on a cameraphone turned inside out.
Mr Okitundu told the Guardian: « I left the Foreign Office and went
to the television station and the people were waiting for us in the car
park. I didn’t even have time to open the door of the car before people
attacked me with baseball bats.
« They pulled me out of the car to beat and kick me. They took my
jacket and my trousers, my shirt and my pants. Then they dragged me and left
me lying naked. »
A Foreign Office spokesman said President Kabila was informed of the
incident by British diplomats in DRC. « We were on the phone very quickly and
explained what happened. » He added that the FCO could have arranged for
security to accompany Mr Okitundu’s party but were never asked.
Mr Okitundu went to hospital with the two other victims, former
ambassador Henri Nswana and his party’s UK chairman, Placide Mbatika. He was
in London visiting the all-parliamentary group of the Great Lakes Region of
Africa as well as the Foreign Office.
He had been discussing the recent elections in the DRC in which
President Kabila won 45% and his rival, the former rebel leader, Jean-Pierre
Bemba, polled just 20%. The two are due to face each other again in another
presidential election on October 29. Mr Bemba’s supporters accuse Mr Kabila
of being a puppet of the west and other foreign agencies. The majority of
Congolese expatriates in London support Mr Bemba. Albert Mukendi of the
group Congolese Rights said the attack and humiliation of Mr Okitundu was « a
very bad thing ». But he added: « People are not happy about him being here.
Many Congolese here do not like Kabila. »
Philippe Mandangi, a London spokesman for the opposition UDPS party
said: « The situation is very tense here in the UK and people are very
angry. »
Mr Okitundu said his attackers shouted that he was working for the
Rwandans and that they would kill anybody who obstructed Mr Bemba. « This is
part of their campaign to sabotage President Kabila’s presidential campaign.
To my knowledge, these people didn’t act of their own will. They have been
told to do it. »
A spokeswoman for the Central Middlesex Hospital said Mr Okitundu
was « treated appropriately in a consulting room ».
Eric Joyce, chair of the all-parliamentary group, met Mr Okitundu on
Wednesday. He said: « It is shocking. I presume it was the diaspora who are
loyal to Bemba. »
