A Catholic priest was killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo by armed bandits during an assault on his parish. «Father Godefroid Pembele Mandon was shot dead in the night of 6 to 7 August 2022, at the parish of St. Joseph Mukasa in Kikwit by armed bandits who attacked the church. Transferred to Kinshasa, he died Sunday 7 August 2022 at the Olive Lembe Kabila hospital in Nsele “, reports the obituary signed on 7 August 2022 by Fr Francis-Emmanuel Kimwanga, chancellor of the diocese of Kikwit, read on the diocesan radio and reported today by Fides .
«His Excellency Msgr. Timothée Bodika Mansiyai, bishop of Kikwit, is deeply saddened to announce to his faithful and people of good will the sad news of the death of Father Godefroid Pembele Mandon. We recommend your fervent prayers to the soul of the illustrious deceased », the message continues. On the same night, another parish located in the same city as Kikwit, Saint Murumba, was also attacked by armed bandits “who robbed women who were preparing for the first mass of a new priest and took away many goods from a catechist ”, agree sources affirm. In a message of condolence, a local notable, Thesky Mayoko – the Vatican agency reports – writes: «I share the pain with the entire Christian Catholic community of the city of Kikwit. And I strongly condemn this barbarism that currently prevails in the city of Kikwit. I appeal to the political-administrative authorities of the city of Kikwit to open a judicial investigation to trace all the perpetrators of this crime to answer for their criminal acts before the courts ”.