Former DR Congo Prime Minister Sentenced to Forced Labour for Corruption

The ex-Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Augustin Matata Ponyo, has been sentenced to ten years of forced labour after being found guilty of stealing approximately $245 million meant for agricultural development amidst a nationwide food crisis.

In a landmark ruling, the Congolese Constitutional Court sentenced former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo to ten years of forced labour for embezzling nearly $245 million in public funds. The verdict, issued on Tuesday, also implicated Deogratias Mutombo, the former governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo's central bank, who received a five-year sentence for his role in the scandal.

The siphoned funds were designated for the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park, a major initiative aimed at addressing the country's worsening food shortages affecting around 28 million citizens. The project, heralded as one of Africa's largest agricultural investments, was anticipated to create approximately 22,000 jobs and facilitate agricultural growth in a country that has suffered from conflict and instability for over three decades.

Matata, who served as Prime Minister from 2012 to 2016 and was once lauded for his economic stewardship, contended that the corruption charges were politically motivated. His legal counsel expressed that the ruling was unjust and lacked fair grounds. Matata's political career extends beyond his premiership; he actively campaigned against current President Felix Tshisekedi in the recent 2023 elections, although he ultimately withdrew from the race.

As the case unfolded over nearly four years since the financial misconduct was uncovered by the Inspectorate General of Finance in 2020, both Matata and Mutombo have been barred from serving in public office for five years following the completion of their sentences. Meanwhile, the DRC continues to grapple with extensive corruption issues and a dire humanitarian crisis.