![\"Yves](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1_YvesSakilajpeg.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Irish Mirror has learned that the body of Mr Sakila – who died after an incident outside Dublin\u2019s Arnotts in May – was in Istanbul early this morning<\/p>\n
11:11, 31 Jul 2026Updated 11:14, 31 Jul 2026<\/p>\n
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Yves Sakila. He had lived in Ireland since 2004. (Image: Corneille Sakila)<\/p>\n
The body of Yves Sakila<\/a> is back in Ireland – after a bid to send him to Africa for burial collapsed half-way through his final journey home.<\/p>\n The Irish Mirror<\/a> has learned that the body of Mr Sakila<\/a> – who died after an incident outside Dublin\u2019s Arnotts in May – was in Istanbul early this morning ahead of a flight to his home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo when a last minute issue occurred.<\/p>\n It is understood Congolese officials refused to rubber-stamp the repatriation – and the body was sent back to Dublin<\/a>. It had been flown to Istanbul from Dublin on Thursday morning.<\/p>\n We understand the body was placed on a Turkish Airlines flight back to Dublin Airport<\/a> and landed after 9am.<\/p>\n It is now unclear where the body will be stored in Ireland – or if another attempt will be made to send it back to the DRC capital of Kinshasa for burial.<\/p>\n Flowers left at the scene on Henry street where Yves Sakila was restrained and later died.(Image: Sam Boal\/Collins Photos)<\/p>\n Lassane Ouedraogo, head of the Dublin-based Africa Centre Ireland, which has been liaising with the family of Mr Sakila<\/a> since his death, confirmed to the Irish Mirror this morning that the body was back in Ireland.<\/p>\n “We have confirmed from the Garda that the body has landed back in Dublin.<\/p>\n “Everyone is in shock.<\/p>\n “We all woke up this morning with disappointing news.”<\/p>\n Mr Sakila\u2019s uncle Jean-Claude Lufimpadio also confirmed to us that the body was back in Ireland.<\/p>\n Mr Sakila’s brother Corneille in the Congo told us: “This is a matter of state; Yves\u2019s repatriation should not have happened this way\u2014he needs to return to Ireland to finalise everything.”<\/p>\n We contacted the DRC ambassador to Ireland, London-based Ndolamb Ngokwey for comment.<\/p>\n Antoinette Lukeba pictured at Protest on Henry Street Dublin following death of Congolese man Yves Sakila(Image: Stephen Collins\/Collins Photos)<\/p>\n He said as far as he was aware the body was still in Istanbul.<\/p>\n He said: “This is a matter still under discussion between the government in Kinshasa and the government in Ireland.<\/p>\n “There are discussions between the two countries concerning processes. Myself, I am waiting to see the development of this conversation.”<\/p>\n He insisted the body would be repatriated to the DRC.<\/p>\n He said: “It is not a matter of the Congo not accepting the body, it is a matter of respecting the process and also a matter of seeing what is going on in terms of procedural matters.”<\/p>\n We have contacted the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs<\/a> for comment.<\/p>\n Mr Sakila died after he was restrained by security guards in Dublin<\/a> city centre on May 15, 2026. A post-mortem failed to establish a definitive cause of death and the results of toxicology are pending.<\/p>\n No further updates on the investigation have been announced despite ongoing public questions about the incident, some of which was filmed and has been widely shared on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n A fundraiser was recently established to finance the repatriation of Mr Sakila’s body back to the DRC.<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1_arnotts-tragedy-henry-street-flowers.jpg\")
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