The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Foreign Minister has travelled to Ireland to discuss the case of Yves Sakila, the Congolese man who died after he was restrained by security guards following a shoplifting incident on Henry Street in Dublin city centre two weeks ago.
Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner arrived in Dublin this afternoon from France, where she has been on an official visit.
She met with President Catherine Connolly this evening and is due to meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee and the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan tomorrow.
In a statement, Minister Wagner, who is also due to meet the Sakila family, said: “The government of the DRC stands with the Congolese community in Ireland and abroad in mourning the tragic death of Yves Sakila in Dublin on 15 May.
“We welcome the ongoing efforts by the Irish authorities to establish the facts through a full investigation, and will remain attentive to the progress of the process while maintaining close dialogue with the Irish government.”
The minister will also discuss the DRC’s response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak and its desire to strengthening cooperation between Ireland and the DRC.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said it expects the minister to discuss a range of issues with Minister McEntee, including efforts to halt the spread of Ebola, and the ongoing conflict in Eastern DRC in the context of Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency.
Last week, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the DRC said it has taken steps to ensure that an independent investigation into the death of Mr Sakila is carried out in Ireland.
In a statement posted on X, the Ministry said it is following the case “with deep emotion and serious concern” and that its embassy has been closely monitoring the case.
The Ministry said it has taken diplomatic and consular steps to establish the exact circumstances of Mr Sakila’s deaths and to ensure that an “independent, transparent and diligent investigation is conducted”.
It said the Minister Delegate also said it is aware of the reaction the case has provoked among the public and human rights organisations, but it appealed for calm to allow the investigations to proceed. “He called for restraint, calm and responsibility, pending the official conclusions of the ongoing investigations.”
It said the government of the DRC remains committed to the protection of its citizens living abroad, to safeguarding their dignity, and to respecting human rights and the principles of justice and it said it will continue to follow the matter with the utmost attention.