A Brussels court today made a historic ruling: 93-year-old former diplomat and European Commission vice President, Étienne Davignon, must face a criminal court for his role in the events leading to the 1961 death of Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.
Davignon did not attend the hearing. He will be tried for war crimes, including the illegal kidnapping of a prisoner, denying Lumumba a fair trial, and cruel treatment. Prosecutors decided to drop the specific charge of “intent to kill.” Lumumba’s grandchildren, present at the courthouse, expressed relief and described the decision as a major step forward in their long fight for the truth.
The judicial process was also slow. Lumumba’s family officially filed their war crimes lawsuit in 2011, and it took the courts more than ten years to complete the investigation. The family believes the government deliberately delayed the process to allow suspects to die before facing justice. Of the 11 Belgians originally accused in 2011, Étienne Davignon is the only one still alive to appear before a judge.
The case had long been hidden. After Lumumba’s death, his body was cut up and dissolved in acid to destroy all evidence. For decades, Belgium appeared to consider the case closed, and those involved lived quiet, wealthy lives. It was only after the publication of a book by investigator Ludo de Witte that questions were raised again, leading to a government inquiry in 2000.
Étienne Davignon led a highly influential life. He was only 28 when he served as a diplomat in the Congo at the time of Lumumba’s capture. Later, he rose to the top of Belgian society, becoming a corporate leader, Vice-President of the European Commission, a senior European Union official, and a close associate of the Belgian royal family. His wealth and social status allowed him to avoid scrutiny for most of his life.
