In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a prison sentence of twenty years has been sought against former Prime Minister Matata Ponyo by the Prosecutor General at the Constitutional Court on Wednesday April 23.
For the past three years, Matata—now an opposition figure—has been pursued over the alleged embezzlement of nearly 200 million US dollars intended for the Bukangalonzo agro-industrial park during his term as Head of Government from 2012 to 2016. The latest court hearing offered further developments in this high-profile case.
Shortly before 11 a.m., the trial was resumed with the arrival of the panel of nine judges. However, none of the accused were present. Matata Ponyo had previously invoked his newly acquired parliamentary immunity. His two co-accused, former central bank governor Deogratias Mutombo and South African businessman Christo Grobbler, cited health reasons for their absence. In the courtroom, tensions rose sharply as the Prosecutor General denounced the defendants’ non-appearance, asserting that immunity could not equate to impunity and accusing Matata of mocking the justice system through stalling tactics.
Following a brief recess, the court president instructed proceedings to continue. A series of finance inspectors were called to the stand, offering testimony that further implicated Matata in the alleged misappropriation of 195 million dollars within what was described as a poorly defined and mismanaged project. The prosecution was swift and decisive in its conclusion: all elements of the charges were deemed to have been established, and a sentence of twenty years of hard labour, along with immediate arrest for each of the accused, was demanded. The verdict is scheduled to be delivered on 14 May, though the defence has already challenged the court’s legitimacy, arguing that two of the judges are serving beyond their mandate.