Etienne Davignon

Etienne Davignon is a 93-year-old former Belgian diplomat. He is currently newsworthy due to a Brussels court ordering him to stand trial for his alleged involvement in the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Congo's first prime minister and a prominent anti-colonial figure. Davignon is accused of complicity in Lumumba's unlawful detention and transfer, which ultimately led to his death. He is the only living person among ten Belgians accused by Lumumba's family. This case is significant because it highlights Belgium's colonial past and its role in the events surrounding Lumumba's death. The trial also raises questions about postcolonial Africa's own reckoning with Lumumba's political vision and legacy.