A Catholic parish priest in the East Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of Congo was brutally attacked and left in critical condition Jan. 24 by armed bandits, who stole a $2,000 parish donation that he was carrying, according to Agenzia Fides.
Father Jean-Richard Ilunga, a parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Diocese of Mbujimayi, was attacked on the road after collecting a donation for the construction of his parish, according to the outlet’s Jan. 27 report.
The bandits stole Fr. Ilunga’s phone, motorcycle, and bag, as well as 512,000 Congolese francs (USD$230) and the $2,000 donation, the outlet reported.
Later after the thieves departed, a passerby discovered Fr. Ilunga tied up and in critical condition. He was transported to a hospital in Mbujimayi and has since recovered to a stable condition. Jean-Paul Mbwebwa Kapo, the governor of East Kasai, visited him there and said the government is working to bring the bandits to justice.
The outlet reported that there is some speculation that some of Fr. Ilunga’s parish staff conspired with the bandits to obtain the funds.
Fides cited various, unnamed sources that said some of the staff members had asked Fr. Ilunga to divide the funds among them after it was collected.
“Given his categorical refusal,” Fides reported, “it is suspected that they conspired with a group of street bandits to rob and possibly even kill him.”
This is a developing story.