Kinshasa: Senate president denounces security services’ arrest of Senator Carole Agito

Democratic Republic of the Congo Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde denounced the security services’ arrest of Senator Carole Agito Amela on October 22, a day after it took place. He said the measure violated parliamentary immunity rules, citing Article 107 of the Constitution and Article 223 of the Senate’s internal regulations. According to Sama Lukonde, the required procedure to lift the senator’s immunity had not been followed. He said the Senate does not oppose justice but demands that the law be respected; he gave no details about the reasons or circumstances of the arrest.