The foreign ministry said Wednesday it hopes that Rome prosecutors will get "maximum cooperation" from the UN World Food Programme, after two of its officials were accused of playing a role in the 2021 killing of Italy's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Luca Attanasio.
"The foreign ministry hopes for maximum cooperation from WFP with Italian magistrates to clarify every aspect of the tragic events of 22 February to ensure those responsible are brought to justice," read the statement.
Prosecutors allege that the two WFP officials, named as Rocco Leone and Mansour Luguru Rwagaza, “omitted, through negligence, recklessness and inexperience” to take the necessary security measures to protect Attanasio 43, his Italian bodyguard and a Congolese driver.
The trio died in an ambush as their convoy drove through North Kivu, a dangerous part of eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda, as Attanasio travelled to a WFP feeding programme.
Rome prosecutors said they have given notification that their investigation has finished, meaning they may ask that Leone and Luguro Rawagaza be tried.
