DR CONGO · JUSTICE

A letter from Congo’s chief prosecutor tells investigators to examine deaths at a 2022 anti-UN protest in Butembo. The families say UN peacekeepers’ gunfire killed their relatives, while the UN mission says it used force to protect its bases.

What the Letter Says

Firmin Mvonde Mambu, chief prosecutor at Congo’s Court of Cassation, has told his North Kivu counterpart to investigate. A copy of his letter became public on Tuesday, 3 November 2026.

The letter asks the North Kivu prosecutor to verify the facts in a complaint and send a detailed report. Lawyer Djimmy Peruzi filed that complaint for the victims’ families.

The copy of the complaint is undated, but it appears to come from September 2026. Mr Peruzi says the families will see the case through to the end.

This is a prosecutor’s instruction, not a court ruling. No ruling on who is responsible for the deaths has been made public.

What Happened in Butembo in July 2022

Butembo is a trading city in North Kivu, an eastern Congolese province bordering Uganda. On Tuesday, 26 July 2022, crowds there demanded that the UN peacekeeping mission leave Congo.

The UN said two Indian police officers and one Moroccan peacekeeper were killed in an attack on a UN base that day. MONUSCO said protesters had seized weapons from Congolese police and fired on its troops.

The UN Secretary-General condemned the attacks on peacekeepers and regretted the loss of life among demonstrators. He urged Congolese authorities to investigate and bring those responsible to justice.

UN peacekeepers distribute drinking water in Rumangabo, North Kivu, in 2013. The photo is a file image and does not show the Butembo protests or any current event. Photo: MONUSCO Photos / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Estimates of protester deaths in Butembo have varied. Early accounts cited by the UN put the toll at seven, while the families’ representatives now say at least 11.

Why the Families Went to Court

In a statement dated 12 August 2026, representatives of the families said they first sought compensation from MONUSCO in 2025. The mission rejected their claims and did not accept responsibility for the fatal shots, they said.

The families say they hold police reports, a report by Butembo’s mayor and civil society testimony. They also want independent experts to examine the weapons used and how peacekeepers fired.

MONUSCO has said it used force to protect its installations and personnel. The families dispute that the mission can decide for itself that it bears no responsibility.

No peacekeeper has been named or charged in this case. Every person is presumed innocent until a court rules otherwise.

What It Means for US Readers

The United States is the largest funder of UN peacekeeping, paying 26.95% of the assessed budget on the 2024 to 2025 scale. A dispute over how peacekeepers used force in Congo therefore touches US-funded work.

The UN Security Council extended MONUSCO’s mandate to 20 December 2026 in Resolution 2808, adopted unanimously on 19 December 2025. Related Rio Times reports explain why Congo and Rwanda are at war and who holds power in Congo.

A recent Rio Times report covers residents suing a miner in Kolwezi, another case testing Congolese courts. Background is in the DR Congo explainer and on the DR Congo hub.

What Is Not Known

Only one Congolese outlet has published the letter, and the prosecutor’s office has not publicly confirmed it. The exact dates of the letter and of the families’ complaint are not public.

It is not known whether a case file has been opened or who would be questioned. Nor is it known how the UN mission would answer requests for evidence.

The final toll in Butembo is also unsettled, with estimates from seven to at least 11. Whether the prosecutor’s office will comment publicly is not known.

What Comes Next

The North Kivu prosecutor must send a detailed report back, but no deadline has been made public. Watch for a formal case number, a summons or a response from the UN mission.

The Security Council must decide before 20 December 2026 whether to renew the mission. The United States holds a veto there, so Washington’s view of the mission’s record carries weight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Congo’s chief prosecutor order?

A letter attributed to Firmin Mvonde Mambu tells the North Kivu appeals prosecutor to investigate the 2022 Butembo deaths. It asks for a detailed report on the steps taken and the conclusions.

Did Congo’s top court rule on the deaths?

No. The instruction comes from the chief prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, not from judges. No ruling on responsibility has been made public.

What happened in Butembo on 26 July 2022?

Crowds demanded that the UN mission leave Congo, and attacks on UN bases followed. The UN said three peacekeepers were killed, and the families say at least 11 protesters were killed.

Who is responsible for the deaths?

That has not been established. The families blame peacekeepers’ gunfire, the UN mission says it used force to protect its bases, and every person is presumed innocent.

Why does this matter to the United States?

The United States pays 26.95% of the UN peacekeeping budget on the 2024 to 2025 scale. The Congo mission’s mandate expires on 20 December 2026 unless the Security Council renews it.

Sources: Congo Prosecutor General at the Court of Cassation, letter to the Prosecutor General at the North Kivu Court of Appeal (copy published 3 November 2026); victims’ families’ statement of 12 August 2026; United Nations, “Guterres strongly condemns attack on peacekeepers in DR Congo”, 27 July 2022; UN Security Council Resolution 2808 (2025), 19 December 2025; UN Peacekeeping, how peacekeeping is funded (all accessed 4 November 2026).