Judicial sources say not less than thirty people have been sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo for their role in the violence against the police during celebrations marking the end of Ramadan in the capital Kinshasa.
Violent clashes broke out on Thursday between Muslim worshippers fighting for access to DRC’s Martyrs Stadium, Kinshasa’s main sports complex, to hold Eid-ul fitr prayers.
The protesters allegedly attacked the police who were present to supervise the ceremony.
An initial official report states that one police officer was killed while images from the incident were widely circulated on social media networks.
A verdict was pronounced in the early hours of Saturday morning after a hastily conducted trial that began Friday in Kinshasa.
The Islamic community of the DRC has been mired in a succession crisis for several years between the two rival factions within the only association representing the faithful – the Islamic Community of Congo (COMICO).