A former prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Augustin Matata Ponyo, has been sentenced to a decade of hard labour for embezzling $245 million from public funds designated for agricultural development amid ongoing food insecurities in the country.
Former Congolese Prime Minister Sentenced to Forced Labour for Embezzlement
Former Congolese Prime Minister Sentenced to Forced Labour for Embezzlement
Augustin Matata Ponyo receives a 10-year sentence as corruption allegations shake DRC's political landscape.
In a significant ruling, Augustin Matata Ponyo, a former prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been sentenced to ten years of forced labour due to corruption charges. The Congolese Constitutional Court found Matata guilty of embezzling approximately $245 million from public funds, collaborating with Deogratias Mutombo, the ex-governor of the DRC's central bank.
This decision came on Tuesday, as Matata's lawyer criticized the ruling as politically motivated. The misappropriated funds were originally allocated for a major agricultural development project aimed at addressing the DRC's chronic food shortages.
Matata served as the DRC's prime minister from 2012 until 2016 and has remained active in the political scene as the head of the Leadership and Governance for Development party (LGD). Previously, he was recognized by the International Monetary Fund for his efforts in stabilizing the nation's economy while he was the finance minister.
In this case, Mutombo was given a five-year forced labour sentence as well, but has yet to publicly comment on the court's verdict. According to the US State Department, forced labour can be legally imposed in the DRC by court order as a criminal sanction. Following their sentences, both Matata and Mutombo will be barred from any public service roles for five years post-labour.
The lengthy investigation, which began almost four years ago after a report from the country's Inspectorate General of Finance, highlighted the theft related to the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park. This project was regarded as one of the largest agricultural investments in Africa, expected to create 22,000 jobs for a population struggling with acute food insecurity. The DRC has battled ongoing conflict for over three decades, exacerbated by the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
