Paul Sadala alias ‘Morgan’ and scores of his men surrendered last weekend.
A notorious militia leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC’s eastern Orientale Province has died in army custody barely two days after he handed himself in, Radio France Internationale, RFI announced yesterday, April 15, 2014.
Paul Sadala, alias ‘Morgan’, who headed the Maï-Maï Simba rebel group in Ituri region, died on April 14, 2014 as he was being moved to the eastern town of Bunia by the army. According to the Spokesman for the DRC government, Lambert Mendé, the rebel chief was killed because he and 42 surrendered fighters reportedly resisted being moved to a new location. Several sources confirmed the death of the man, who on April 12, 2014, surrendered to traditional leaders in his village of Badengaido, 300 km south-west of Bunia.
Militiamen allegedly fired on their escorts, killing two soldiers, prompting the guards to respond, killing two rebels and seriously wounding Paul Sadala, Mendé explained. He added that the militia chief died from excessive bleeding while being flown by a UN helicopter to Bunia.
However, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, MONUSCO, said Sadala died before the body was brought to the helicopter. According to Charles Bambara, the Director of Public Information for MONUSCO, the mission has opened an inquiry into the killing.
The army commander in Ituri, Gen. Fal Sikabwe, told Radio Okapi that Sadala refused to follow his guards into the helicopter to be flown to Bunia, insisting that he be appointed General first. The standoff led to the killing of seven militiamen, with two others wounded. The rebel leader himself was shot in the legs and died a few minutes after, Gen. Sikabwe, explained.
Several questions however remain unanswered as to how a rebel leader who, alongside 42 ex-combatants, freely handed themselves in two days earlier in order to benefit from a government amnesty, should resist being held in custody.
Paul Sadala was notorious for repeatedly launching raids on the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a World Heritage site since 2012. Last December, UN experts said he switched his focus from poaching elephants to attacking gold mines. He and his men are also accused of kidnapping people to carry looted goods and of forcing women into sexual slavery for militiamen.
