Goma's Boxing champion amongest 3000 killed During RDF/M23 invasion of Goma

Balezi Jean de Dieu, also known as Kibomango, was among the 3,000 people who tragically lost their lives when M23 rebels entered Goma on January 27.

As a former child soldier turned boxing champion, Kibomango devoted himself to helping Goma’s youth. His family now demands justice, mourning the untimely death of a man who dedicated his life to giving others hope.

 “There were several shots, and he was hit by a stray bullet,” his brother Mashara Espoir recalls. “That’s when I got the call that my brother had passed away. Even though it was a tense situation, I had to find out what happened.”

In 2008, Kibomango became the boxing champion of the Democratic Republic of Congo. After earning that title, he established the “Club de l’Amitié,” a sanctuary where he taught boxing to street children. For many kids, this was more than just a sport—it was a lifeline, helping them escape poverty and avoid recruitment into armed groups.

Kibomango was a symbol of hope in Goma, a man who chose to fight for a better future despite the horrors he had endured. Inspired by his legacy, the amateur boxers he trained a