Evening star., 1960-12-02
lunluInba Put
In Prison 10
Await Trial
Seized by Soldiers
And Brought Back
In Handouts

LEOPOIDvuLE. The Congo,
Dec. 2 (AP).-Ex-Premier Pa
trice Lumumba, arrested in the |
Congo hinterlands while fleeing,
was returned to this capital
today and whisked on to an
army camp in handouts.
Col. Joseph Mobutu. the army
leader. said Mr.. Lumumba win
be tried for melting the army
to rebellion and other crimes.
The former Premier, arrested
last night at Port Francqui. was
flown the 500 miles to Leopold
vile under q strong escort Of
Congolese troops.
Col. Mobutu had ordered Q
special plane to fetch Mr.. Luz
mumba immediately after
learning that his soldiers had
threatened to shoot him "as q
traitor"
Several Others Seized
Several persons arrested with
MIR. Lumumba were brought
back in the same plane. They /
included former Information
Minister Anicet Kashamural
and an unidentified woman.
The hands Of all except the |
woman were tied behind their
backs. Soldiers ran about the
airport excitedly shouting: |
We've got Lumumba, we've
got him. Come and lookl"
MIR. Lumumba wore q white
shirt with sleeves rolled up. He
appeared disheveled and his
hair was uncombed. A truck
quickly whisked the prisoners
OF to the giant army camp.
KokOlo.
Col. Mobutu said Mr.. Lu-
mumba would be tried for
melting the army to rebellion
and other common law
crimes"
BoOed and Jeered
He said he had received
information that the popula-
tion Of Port Francqui booed
and jeered Mr.. Lumumba as
he was escorted through the
town and called him sJudas
and traitor
The arrest. he said, was
made by Q company Of 1901
military police stationed at
Port Francqui. Mr.. Lumumba
reached the Kasai River port
by automobile after o desperate
four-day flight across the wild
bush country east Of the
capital. Port Francqui is some
500 miles in a straight line from
Leopoldville, but the distance
Of the tortuous jungle tracks
is much greater.
Mr.. Lumumba fied from his
residence here In q rainstorm
and swept without challenge
past q sleepy guard Of Col.
Modulus army. He later
issued a statement saying he
planned to attend the funeral
Of his infant daughter at
Stanleyyille and would then
return to the capital.
Doubt was cast on this in i,
tention when it was discovered
he had removed all his personal
belongings ~ including table,
ware-prior to his well-pre-
pared escape.
It also was learned that the
body Of the baby. which dieG
In Switzerland after her pre-.
mature birth, had been taken
not to Stanleyville but to Lu.
luabourg.
MIR. Lumumba Travelled east
ward over rough jungle tracks
toward Luluabourg for foui
days. At some places In the ter
ritory Of friendly tribes he even
delivered fiery speeches prom
ising to set up q new truly
independent" government In
rivalry with the Mobutu regime |
After Mr.. Lumumba was
ousted as Premier by Col.
Mobutu in mid-September he |
remained in the ofiicial Pre-
mier's residence. The United /
Nations gave him a protective
guard but this was withdrawn
after he slipped out Of the
house Sunday night. He eluded |
Congolese soldiers assigned by
Col. Mobutu to keep the ex-
Premier from escaping. Col.
Mobutu held a warrant for his
arrest.
The U. N. spokesman said
Mr.. Lumumba could expect no
United Nations protection out
side Of the capital.