Belgian-Congolese military expert Jean-Jacques Wondo was released from a prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Tuesday and is set to arrive in Belgium on Wednesday afternoon.
On Tuesday evening, his lawyer Carlos Ngwapitshi announced that Mr. Wondo had been released for humanitarian reasons. “His health has deteriorated to such an extent that he was released to receive medical care,” he said.
Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner explained that the release was due to a "combination of reasons" during her first meeting with her Belgian counterpart Maxime Prévot in Brussels on Wednesday.
"We must contextualise this recent decision within ongoing exchanges between officials of both countries and their respective judicial systems," she added.
"It’s difficult to isolate one factor for this decision, even if it involves a humanitarian evacuation. Wondo’s case has been a topic of conversation beyond just the experts and justice officials, extending also to Belgium’s stance on the current situation in eastern DRC," she continued.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot welcomed the release of the military expert after "long and fruitful discussions." He expressed relief at the outcome, stating, "We can only commend this outcome, which Belgium has long advocated for and desired."
Wondo had been imprisoned for over eight months in Kinshasa. He was sentenced to death by a military tribunal in September last year along with about thirty other defendants for his alleged involvement in a failed coup.
