Authorities in Congo have opened an investigation into whether a former government minister may have played a role in inciting violence in the turbulent Kasai provinces.
Attorney General Flory Kabange Numbi announced Tuesday he was opening a probe into Clement Kanku, who was one of the people being investigated by a U.N. team killed earlier this year.
The development comes after a story by The New York Times cited an audiotape of Kanku allegedly condoning the violence, at one point saying: "It's good that we burn everything."
Zaida Catalan, a Swedish-Chilean national and one of the two U.N. experts killed, had obtained the tape and was investigating Kanku's role.
Congolese authorities say they have 16 suspects in connection with the murders, two of whom will go on trial soon.
