DR Congo jails policemen for life for torturing suspect to death

A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo has handed a life sentence to four policemen for torturing an alleged car thief to death, trial footage showed Saturday.

Olivier Mpunga, 32, died in custody last week. Images of his brutal interrogation have widely circulated on social media.

The judge in the capital Kinshasa said he “sentenced to life in prison” a police colonel, a captain who interrogated the young man, and two officers over “aggravated torture” that led to his death, according to footage of the ruling overnight aired on state television.

The colonel was described as the mastermind behind the killing, while his subordinates were said to have carried out the abuse that killed the detainee.