Wubi News

False alarm over DR Congo hero's golden tooth

2024-11-21 04:00:03
The gold tooth was placed in this mausoleum after its return to DR Congo in 2022
The gold tooth of Patrice Lumumba - pictured here in 2016 - had been preserved in a padded box by Belgian police officer Gerard Soete

Now 69, she spent years lobbying Belgium for the return of the tooth.

"Patrice Lumumba sacrificed himself for the sovereignty and independence of his country and the Congolese," she said.

"This is so unrepresentative of our culture, which respects the graves of our dearly departed.”

Local authorities say four suspects have been arrested over the desecration, but their identities have not been made public.

Ms Lumumba said the Lumumba Foundation wanted to take over management of the mausoleum because of security worries and had been lobbying the government to do so.