DRC Drops Katumbi Investigation

Prosecutors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have dropped an investigation into opposition politician Moise Katumbi and allegations that he hired mercenaries as part of a plot against the former President Joseph Kabila.

Katumbi, who has been in exile for three years, has denied that charges, claiming they were politically motivated and part of a deliberate plot to prevent him from participating in the recent elections. The authorities refused Katumbi entry to the country when he sought to file his candidacy for the presidency last year. 

Announcing the decision military prosecutor Timothee Mukuntu stated, “Given that the president of the republic has made easing political tensions his priority..., we consider it inopportune to continue the investigation.”

The courts also recently overturned a 2016 conviction against Katumbi for real estate fraud, which carried a three-year jail sentence. It is not yet clear if and when the former governor of Katanga intends to return to the country.