DRC Senate: After Carole Agito’s Detention, Sama Lukonde Expresses Solidarity and Calls for Respect for Parliamentary Immunity

At the opening of the Senate plenary session on October 22, 2026, Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde recalled the parliamentary immunity protections set out in Article 107 of the Constitution and Article 223 of the Senate’s rules. He said that during a session, prosecution or arrest requires Senate authorization, except in cases of flagrante delicto; outside sessions, Bureau authorization is required, subject to constitutional exceptions. Sama Lukonde expressed regret over the incident the previous day and the Senate Bureau’s solidarity with Carole Agito Amela, a senator from Bas-Uele. He reaffirmed the Bureau’s vigilance in ensuring legal procedures are followed in cases involving parliamentarians.