We are seeking justice for Cynthia Vechel Kadima, a 30 year old Congolese woman, native of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) whose life was brutally taken at the hands of her husband Rupesh Kumar Mohani, an Indian national in the early hours of July 4, 2016.

Growing up as her parent’s first born child, her uncles and aunts’ first niece and her grandparent’s first grandchild, Cynthia was undeniably showered with love. Blessed with great looks, and ambition, Cynthia quickly gained notoriety within the fashion circles in Kinshasa and was featured in various local fashion shows and television commercials. 

In 2006, she met Rupesh Kumar Mohani, an Indian business man, living in Kinshasa. The two got married in 2008 and shortly after welcomed a daughter named Sania.  The couple and their young daughter lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) until 2012, when Kumar decided to move the family to India. Distraught by her new life of seclusion in a foreign country, where she no longer was allowed to work, socialize, or pursue her dreams and aspirations, her new life was now reduced to the role of a stay-at- home mother and wife. Cynthia found comfort in connecting with her friends and family through social media. This eventually enraged her husband Rupesh, who started accusing her of being unfaithful. Ultimately, on the faithful morning of July 4, 2016 while arguing, Cynthia told Rupesh she would seek a divorce from him so that she and her daughter could return to her native country Congo to reunite with her family. But instead of trying to resolve their pending marital issues or granting her a divorce, Rupesh chose a brutal alternative solution to his problem: Rupesh Kumar Mohani killed his wife Cynthia Vechel Kadima, dismembered her body and took their little girl Sania along for a ride to a remote location 26 km away from their home where he burned her remains.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH4lZEkqJ8M

Since the barbaric murder of Cynthia Vechel Kadima, a contingent of Africans in India, as well as in her native Congo, have been seeking some type of disclosure regarding the fate killer  Rupesh Kumar from Indian authorities, who seem, with their lack of foreclosure, to be protecting Rupesh by hiding him rather than prosecuting him for murder. Rupesh has appeared in court wearing a black bag over his head. Concerned, the victim’s family and friends fear that the man appearing in court may not even be Rupesh, for hiding the identity of a defendant is unprecedented in Indian courts.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFhEihszwqc

Racism and violence toward African nationals is rampant in India which seems somehow paradoxical taking into account the large number of Indian nationals living and engaged in business trades throughout the African continent especially in Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the past three months alone, there has been the barbaric murder of Cynthia Vechel Kadima, as well as the stoning death by 3 Indian men of 23 years old Congolese national Masonda Ketada Olivier in the streets of South Delhi. Olivier’s murder was caught on surveillance camera, yet no one has been arrested. There is also case the of a 35 years old Congolese woman living in India, who suffered a gang rape at the hands of 4 Indian men in a moving car. No one has been arrested in her case either.

We want Cynthia's death to be the precedent to expose and stop the impunity of the perpetrators of brutal crimes against women and foreigners in India. We want the White House to urge India's Dept. of Justice to hand over Cynthia's murder case to an international criminal to ensure her murderer: Rupesh Kumar Mohani is brought to justice. We also want Sania’s custody to be given to Cynthia’s parents. We want the United Nations to probe India on the enforcement of existing legislations (if any) protecting women, children and foreigners in India and impose sanctions on India for its countless unprosecuted crimes against women, girls and humanity as a whole.

If you are touched by Cynthia’s story and would like to help bring her murderer to justice, please sign this petition and share it with others you feel might be touched and moved to help. As women, mothers, wives living abroad away from our love ones, Cynthia case hits home and we all must act.