The former Prime Minister of the Congo People’s Republic, Tumults was convicted today by the Constitutional Court to ‘Ten years of forced labor’ for embezzlement of public money intended for the creation of a rural business park.

MP and President of the opposition party ‘Leadership and Governance for Development’ (LGD), Matata had served as Prime Minister of LD Congo from 2012 to 2016, under the presidency of Joseph Campila (2001-2019).

After nearly four -year legal battle, the tumor Matata was found guilty of Abuse of $ 247 millionannounced the president of the Constitutional Court, Diudone Camoule.

In this trial, which began in October 2023, the former prime minister was in the dock of the accused with Derograine Mutoboformer head of the Central Bank of LD Congo, and GromblerDirector of a South African company.

The Muttom and Grombler They were sentenced to “five years of forced labor” each, according to the verdict. The Constitutional Court also ordered the “expulsion” of South African businessman Grombler after serving his sentence.

The case dates back to November 2020, when the LD Congo Economics Review revealed that $ 205 million out of a total of $ 285 million disbursed for the farm business park in Bukanga-Lizoa pilot project of 250 kilometers southeast of the capital Kinshasa, had been embezzled.

The first legal battle for the misappropriation case began in October 2021 in the Constitutional Court. In November of that year, the court ruled that it was “inappropriate” to try a former prime minister.

In June 2022, when the Tumult He was a Senator, the Court of Appeal assumed the case and a few weeks later referred Matata to the Constitutional Court.

Mr Matata’s “unfair” conviction proves that this is about ‘Political Prosecution’told the French News Agency (AFP) the Loran Oniebalawyer of the former prime minister.