A former Belgian diplomat accused of involvement in the assassination of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba has died before he could face trial.
Etienne Davignon, 93, passed away on Monday, according to confirmation from the Jacques Delors Institute think tank, where he served as a board member.
Davignon, a prominent Belgian diplomat and businessman who also served as a European commissioner, became the first person to be formally charged earlier this year in connection with Lumumba’s 1961 assassination.
He had been ordered to stand trial for alleged war crimes linked to the killing, in what was seen as a final effort to uncover the truth behind one of the 20th century’s most significant political assassinations.
Lumumba, who became the first prime minister of what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo after independence from Belgium in 1960, was overthrown months later and killed by Belgian-backed separatist rebels on January 16, 1961.
The assassination remains one of the darkest moments in Belgium’s colonial history and played a major role in Africa’s liberation struggles.
Prosecutors alleged that Davignon, then a junior diplomat, took part in Lumumba’s unlawful detention and transfer, denying him the right to a fair trial.
He was also accused of involvement in the deaths of two of Lumumba’s allies, Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito. Davignon denied any wrongdoing and had been appealing the court’s decision to send him to trial at the time of his death.
Davignon was the last surviving suspect in an investigation that began nearly 15 years ago. The court had already ruled that cases against other suspects would end following their deaths.
Reacting to the development, the Lumumba family said the prosecutor’s decision to pursue a trial would remain part of the historical record, adding: “The last living accused does not close the historical record.”
Their lawyers also revealed plans to pursue additional legal action, including a possible civil case against the Belgian state.
Following his posting in Congo, Davignon rose to prominence within Belgium’s political and business circles, serving as chief of staff to former Prime Minister Paul-Henri Spaak in the late 1960s and later as a European commissioner between 1977 and 1985. He also held positions on the boards of several Belgian and international companies.
