UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed dismay Thursday over the death of prominent Democratic Republic of Congo human rights advocate Floribert Chebeya in Kinshasa and called for a "transparent and independent" probe.

A UN statement said Ban "was deeply shocked to learn of the death in Kinshasa of Floribert Chebeya, President of La Voix des Sans Voix (The Voice of the Voiceless)."

The secretary general hailed Chebeya as a "champion of human rights," stressed the need for a "thorough, transparent and independent" investigation of his death and said the world body was prepared to help if requested.

A statement issued earlier in the day said the UN boss expressed shock over the death of Chebeya's driver as well. But the world body subsequently retracted this after being informed by DRC national police that the driver had yet to be found.

Earlier Thursday, the DRC government expressed regrets at the death of Chebeya, who was found dead in his car early Wednesday, and promised a probe.

In Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay earlier Thursday also voiced shock over the death and urged the Kinshasa government to launch a probe.

Rights groups in DRC have jointly denounced what they called the "ignoble murder" of Chebeya, saying in a statement that he was "found early (Wednesday) morning on the back seat of his car, his hands bound behind his back and his trousers and underpants pulled down round his knees."

Chebeya had been due on Tuesday evening to meet the DRC's national police chief General John Numbi and phone contact with him was lost later that evening.

(Source: AFP)