No information on a lieutenant-colonel called "Missy Sipy Kasongo" could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response.

However, a report from Belgium indicated that one "Mississipi Kasongo" was on the list of [translation] "persons charged with the murder of Laurent-Désiré Kabila" (Oct. 2002, App. 3).

Referring to the case of the assassination of former President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, the Congolese press agency (Agence congolaise de presse, ACP) observed on 9 January 2003 that a lieutenant-colonel known as "Misisipi Kosongo" was sentenced to life in prison in connection with the assassination of "the eleven Lebanese."

For more information on the arrest and execution of Lebanese nationals following the assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, see RDC39190.F of 2 July 2002.

In its 8 January 2003 issue, the Congolese newspaper La Tempête des Tropiques, published in Kinshasa, listed "Mississipi Kasongo" among the persons sentenced to [translation] "imprisonment for life." However, this source did not provide his military rank.

Moreover, the [translation] "list of persons convicted in the trial of the alleged assassins of Laurent-Désiré Kabila," compiled by the African Human Rights Association (Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme, ASADHO), includes "lieutenant Misisipi" in the category of persons sentenced to life in prison (Mar. 2003, 13).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

African Human Rights Association (ASADHO) [Kinshasa]. March 2003. Périodique des droits de l'homme. No. 36. "Rapport annuel 2002 - Numéro spécial." http://www.fidh.org/afriq/rapport/2003/asadho2002f.pdf [Accessed 26 Jan. 2004]

Agence congolaise de presse (ACP). 9 January 2003. "30 condamnations à mort dans le dossier de l'assassinat du président Laurent-Désiré Kabila." http://www.digitalcongo.net/acp/BQ243-090103.pdf [Accessed 26 Jan. 2004]

Belgium. October 2002. Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons. Documentation Centre for Asylum Agencies (CEDOCA). Rapport de mission à Kinshasa (République démocratique du Congo) du 6 juin au 5 août 2002.

La Tempête des Tropiques [Kinshasa]. 8 January 2003. "Verdict du procès sur l'assassinat de Laurent-Désiré Kabila, voici la liste des condamnés et des acquittés." http://www.digitalcongo.net/fullstory.php?id=19592&page_offset=0 [Accessed 26 Jan. 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential

Africa Research Bulletin

Dialog

IRB Databases

Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent

Resource Centre country file. RDC

Internet sites, including:

Africatime

Allafrica

Digitalcongo.net

MISNA

ReliefWeb

La Voix des sans voix (VSV)