Arrest in Brazzaville of a suspect in the assassination of entrepreneur Vally Amisi.

The announcement was made by the Congolese Ministry of Justice in a statement released on Sunday evening. The communication unit specifies that formalities are underway and reminds that the suspect is presumed innocent until a possible court decision.

Vally Amisi, who resided in South Africa, was in Kinshasa for professional reasons when he was found dead in the early morning in an alley in the Gombe neighborhood in April. His assassination had sparked strong emotions in the Congolese capital.

Initially, investigators had considered the possibility of a kidnapping carried out by an armed gang. The analysis of surveillance footage from the building where the victim was staying later directed the search towards a man identified as a close associate of the entrepreneur.

Images at the heart of the investigation

Clips from these recordings, shared on social media, show Vally Amisi entering an apartment accompanied by another man. A few hours later, this man reportedly left the residence alone before covering the camera installed in the hallway.

Another sequence then shows a man in an elevator, with what appears to be a lifeless body at his feet. These elements had led the Congolese police and justice to identify a suspect, who had fled before his arrest in Brazzaville.

The Ministry of Justice did not specify the exact circumstances of this arrest nor the identity of the man apprehended. It stated that the authorities of both countries were working on his return to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Several people have already been arrested in the DRC in connection with this case, according to judicial authorities. The investigation will continue to determine the responsibilities of each in the death of Vally Amisi.