The Court of Cassation decided on Monday to grant provisional freedom to Vital Kamerhe, former president of the National Assembly, convicted of embezzlement of public funds. A provisional release motivated by health reasons, but accompanied by a high bail.
Vital Kamerhe will have to pay 500,000 US dollars to enjoy this provisional freedom, which is granted on humanitarian grounds. According to the official television, which quotes the communication unit of the Court of Cassation on its Twitter account, the decision was motivated by the very critical medical condition of the UNC leader. And, until late Monday, the formalities were still underway.
It was in the middle of the afternoon that the provisional release was decided. The Court of Cassation met in chambers twice, on Friday and Monday, and heard Mr Pulusi, Vital Kamerhe’s lawyer.
An ally of Félix Tshisekedi during the 2017 elections, and later his chief of staff, Vital Kamerhe had been accused of embezzling funds intended for the first 100 days of President Tshisekedi’s mandate.
Sentenced to 13 years in prison, he had requested provisional release several times without success. This time, he obtained it from the Court of Cassation before which he had lodged an appeal. The appeal must now be examined before Vital Kamerhe’s fate can be definitively determined.