Swedes say little help from Congo in murder investigation

STOCKHOLM – A Swedish prosecutor says authorities are getting little help from Congo in their investigations into the slayings of two U.N. experts — of which them a Swede — by militiamen from Congo’s violence-torn Kasai region.

Prosecutor Sara Nilsson says their material “does not rule out that people close to the regime in Congo are involved in the murder.”

Sweden launched its murder investigation two days after the bodies of dual Swedish-Chilean national Zaida Catalan and American Michael Sharp were found in a shallow grave on March 27.

Nilsson said Wednesday Sweden had asked Congo for “legal assistance” but what it received “doesn’t comply with basic legal requirements and has obvious flaws.”

She said Swedish authorities would continue their probe, but cannot visit Congo “under the present circumstances.”