Congolese Anti-Corruption Hero Beatified at Vatican for Refusing Bribe and Protecting the Poor

Aline Minani holds a photo of Floribert Bwana Chui Bin Kositi, a Congolese man killed for fighting corruption in 2007, and whose beatification was approved by Pope Francis, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Vatican has beatified Floribèrt Bwana Chui Bin Kositi, a 26-year-old Congolese customs worker who was murdered in 2007 for refusing to accept a bribe to allow spoiled rice into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ceremony, held Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, was presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

Kositi’s beatification has drawn hundreds of Congolese pilgrims and members of Rome’s Congolese Catholic community. They will have a special audience with Pope Leo XIV on Monday. Recognized as a martyr by Pope Francis in 2023, Kositi is now one step closer to sainthood, potentially becoming Congo’s first official Catholic saint.

As a government official with the Congolese customs quality control office, Kositi was responsible for inspecting imported goods. In 2007, he refused to authorize the entry of rancid rice from Rwanda intended for the vulnerable population of Goma. Shortly after his refusal, he was kidnapped, and according to witnesses, killed by those involved in the trafficking scheme.

Cardinal Marcello Semeraro presides over the beatification ceremony of Rev. Moisés Lira at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme, File)ASSOCIATED PRESS

“On that day, those mafiosi found themselves in front of a young man who, in the name of the Gospel, said ‘No,’” said his friend Aline Manani. “Floribèrt, for me and for all young people, is a role model.”

The beatification is highly symbolic for the DRC, where corruption has been deeply entrenched in public life. Goma Bishop Willy Ngumbi stated, “Our country almost holds the gold medal for corruption… if we could at least learn from this boy’s life that we must all fight corruption, I think that would be very important.”

Floribèrt’s example is particularly poignant amid ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in eastern Congo. The resurgence of conflict between Congolese forces and M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, has displaced thousands and plunged Goma into further despair.

His legacy lives on through the Floribert Bwana Chui School of Peace in Goma, where Director Charles Kalimba described the beatification as a beacon of hope. “Floribert’s life is a lesson for every generation. We are in a country where corruption is almost allowed, and this is a challenge that must be taken up.”

The sainthood case was championed by Rev. Francesco Tedeschi, who knew Kositi through their work in the Saint’Egidio Community. Tedeschi became emotional during a remembrance speech, saying, “In the end, this was what Floribert was, just a boy… one of the saints next door.”

Pope Francis emphasized Kositi’s moral courage during his 2023 visit to the DRC. Speaking at Kinshasa stadium, the pope said, “He could easily have turned a blind eye… but since he was a Christian, he prayed. He thought of others and chose to be honest, saying no to the filth of corruption.”

Because he is recognized as a martyr — killed in hatred of the faith — Kositi was beatified without the need for a confirmed miracle. However, one miracle attributed to his intercession will be required for canonization.

Floribèrt Bwana Chui Bin Kositi now stands as a symbol of moral resistance and Christian integrity in a nation striving for justice and transparency. His story is resonating far beyond Congo, offering the Catholic Church and young people around the world a new model of holiness rooted in everyday courage.