A high court in Congo on Tuesday sentenced former Justice Minister Constant Mutamba to three years of forced labor after finding him guilty of embezzling $19 million in public funds earmarked for the construction of a prison in Kisangani, a major city in the country’s north.
The Court of Cassation ruled that Mutamba deliberately diverted funds intended for the project, accusing him of acting with the intention of illicit enrichment and failing to follow due process. His conviction marks a dramatic fall for a politician who once campaigned as a champion of integrity and accountability.
Mutamba, who resigned in June when the scandal came to light, pleaded not guilty throughout the trial. His defense team argued that the proceedings were politically motivated and fundamentally flawed.
“The people are informed of the way in which the case was handled,” said Mutamba’s lawyer, Joel Kitenge, after the ruling. “Mutamba did not steal the money. Our client did not benefit from any mitigating circumstances.”
The sentence adds to the government’s broader campaign against entrenched corruption, which has long hampered development in one of Africa’s most resource-rich nations. Yet questions remain about whether Mutamba will serve the punishment as prescribed. In the past, sentences involving hard labor have been carried out in prison facilities, though observers noted it was not immediately clear if the same would apply in this case.
Security was tight in the capital, Kinshasa, as the verdict was delivered. Major roads leading to the courthouse were barricaded, and dozens of security personnel were deployed to preempt potential unrest from Mutamba’s supporters.
The case has been closely followed both domestically and abroad, given Mutamba’s political prominence. Appointed justice minister in 2024, he had also contested the 2023 presidential election, presenting himself as an anti-corruption crusader. His tenure, however, was marred by controversy, including his controversial push for the death penalty against journalists covering the activities of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo.
The ruling underscores the Congolese government’s increasingly assertive stance against financial mismanagement at the highest levels, even as the country grapples with ongoing violence from armed groups and political instability.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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