Belgium to return slain Congo leader’s tooth to family

The family of Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba has welcomed a court ruling that said his tooth should be returned to his family.

Mr Lumumba’s nephew Jean Jacques Lumumba said the move is a good step of what happened.

A Belgian court ruled that a tooth taken from Mr Lumumba’s corpse be given to his daughter Juliana, who had written a letter to the Belgian king asking for its return.

Mr Lumumba, who became Congo’s first prime minister after it gained independence from Belgium in 1960, was murdered in 1961 after he was abducted by separatist fighters.

The Belgian government had a role in his death and in 2002 issued a formal apology.