Vandals target Lumumba mausoleum in Congo, stealing gold-capped tooth
By Yahaya Idris
Authorities in the Congo have announced that the mausoleum honoring Patrice Lumumba, the independence leader who was assassinated, in the capital city of Kinshasa, has been vandalized. However, it is unclear whether Lumumba’s remains, specifically a single gold-capped tooth, were damaged or removed.
A curator of the mausoleum informed the national press agency that the coffin housing the tooth was damaged on Monday.
The glass doors were smashed and four suspects were arrested, the deputy mayor of the neighborhood where the mausoleum is located told the country’s main radio channel.
He added that he couldn’t confirm whether the tooth was stolen or not.
It’s not clear who was responsible for the act of vandalism, Congo’s ministry of culture said in a statement Tuesday.
The return of Lumumba’s tooth from former colonizer Belgium in 2022 had been celebrated around Congo, with the tooth taken around the vast country so people could pay their respects.
