Congo investigating vandalism at site of tooth believed to belong to Lumumba

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(Reuters) – Congo has opened an investigation into vandalism on Monday evening at the mausoleum housing the tooth – thought to be the only known remains – of independence hero Patrice Lumumba, the culture ministry said on Tuesday. 

Lumumba, the Central African country’s first democratically elected prime minister after independence from Belgium in 1960, was assassinated by a firing squad in 1961 after his government, which lasted only three months, was overthrown.

The tooth was reportedly taken from Lumumba’s body by a Belgian policeman, who claimed to have dissolved much of Lumumba’s body in acid, and burned the rest. The tooth was handed over to his family in 2022.

A police officer present at the scene on Tuesday morning told Reuters that the coffin where the tooth had been was “open and empty,” but could not confirm whether it had been stolen.

The culture ministry also did not specify whether the tooth had been stolen.

“The site has been secured, and an investigation is underway to determine the facts and identify those responsible,” it said.

Lumumba’s daughter Juliana Lumumba Amato described the vandalism as “a despicable and incomprehensible act” in a message to Reuters.

“Patrice Lumumba sacrificed his life for his country and the Congolese people”, she said, adding that she was still waiting for information from the government

The Minister of Communications did not respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Sonia Rolley. Editing by Portia Crowe and Mark Potter)