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BBC News Published image captionCol Eddy Kapend was a senior officer to assassinated President Laurent Kabila Twenty-three soldiers accused of being behind the assassination of former president of Democratic Republic of Congo have been released after spending nearly two decades behind bars. Laurent Kabila was shot dead by a bodyguard in 2001. A military trial that followed jailed dozens of soldiers, including Col Eddy Kapend, his personal aide. Rights groups criticised the trial. Some in DR Congo believe the soldiers were used as scapegoats. There has been much speculation about who gave th...

The pardons come amid a rift between President Félix Tshisekedi and his predecessor, Kabila's son.

BBC TWO men convicted over the assassination of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Laurent Kabila 20 years ago have been pardoned. Although Mr Kabila was shot by his bodyguard, two of his senior officials, Col Eddy Kapend and Georges Leta, were implicated in the killing. President Félix Tshisekedi commuted their death sentences last June. The pardon comes amid a rift between Mr Tshisekedi and his predecessor, Laurent Kabila’s son Joseph. Joseph Kabila took power after his father’s death in 2001 and ruled DR Congo for 18 years before Mr Tshisekedi won the election in December ...