#Vital Kamerhe

[iweb-rdc001]

RDC : Sama Lukonde, JP Bemba, Vital Kamerhe, Bahati Lukwebo, Julien Paluku, JP. Lihau : qui incarne mieux le portait d'un bon Premier ministre ?

Après la victoire de Félix Tshisekedi à la présidentielle, la guerre au sein de la Cour royale est d’ores et déjà lancée. Des acteurs de l’Union sacrée qui ont été impliqués dans la réélection du président espèrent bien obtenir leur part de gâteau lors du partage du pouvoir.   Et, tout devrait commencer par la primature. A moins que Félix Tshisekedi tienne compte du leader politique qui aura le…

[bisonews]

Diversification de l'économie en RDC pour faire face à la crise du maïs dans le Grand Katanga

La République Démocratique du Congo est confrontée à une crise du maïs dans le Grand Katanga, ce qui nécessite une réponse rapide et efficace du gouvernement. En prévision du briefing spécial de ce soir, le Vice-Président et Ministre de l’économie, Vital Kamerhe, a tenu une séance de travail ce matin pour discuter de la stratégie de diversification de l’économie pour faire face à cette crise. La…

[lisolo1973]

Projet 100 jours : La Tanzanie menace de vendre les maisons préfabriquées aux enchères

Projet 100 jours : La Tanzanie menace de vendre les maisons préfabriquées aux enchères

Après l’acquittement de Vital Kamerhe, une problématique fait surface, les fonds décaissés par l’Etat et les maisons préfabriquées pour lequel Kamerhe avait été condamné, en première instance à 20 ans de travaux forcés. Les cargaisons existent bel et bien, mais s’abiment dans plusieurs ports particulièrement en Tanzanie où les autorités menacent de les vendre aux enchères. À l’origine ces maisons…

[bikekokin24]

Suspension de six professeurs de l'Université de Kinshasa suite à la remise controversée de la toge de professeur à Monsieur Vital KAMERHE

Suite à une action jugée inappropriée par les autorités universitaires, six professeurs de la Faculté des Sciences Économiques et de Gestion de l’Université de Kinshasa ont été suspendus de toutes leurs attributions. En effet, ces professeurs ont pris part à la remise de la toge de professeur à Monsieur Vital KAMERHE, une responsabilité normalement réservée au Recteur de l’Université ou à ses…

[magaratimes]

#PoliticoCD. | Vital Kamerhe: "The DRC will never be a colony of someone and the balkanization plan will never succeed"

#PoliticoCD. | Vital Kamerhe: “The DRC will never be a colony of someone and the balkanization plan will never succeed”

The president of the “Union for the Congolese Nation” (UNC), a political party member of the Sacred Union, Vital Kamerhe, on a “peace tour” in the eastern part of the DRC, declared on Friday in his meeting at the Muzinga stadium in Shabunda-Centre, capital of the territory of the same name, that “the plan for the balkanization of the DRC will never succeed”. “We advocate a policy of good…

[beardedmrbean]

KINSHASA (Reuters) -The leader of an attempted coup on Sunday in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been killed and some 50 people including three American citizens arrested, a spokesman for the Central African country's army told Reuters.

Gunfire rang out around 4 a.m. in the capital Kinshasa, a Reuters reporter said. Armed men attacked the presidency in the city centre, according to spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.

Another attack took place at the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a member of parliament who is tipped to become speaker, Kamerhe's spokesman, Michel Moto Muhima, and the Japanese ambassador said in posts on X.

Moto Muhima said two guards and an attacker had been killed in that incident. Ekenge also said one attacker was killed there.

A shell fired from Kinshasa hit the city of Brazzaville in neighbouring Republic of Congo, injuring several people, that country's government said in a statement, adding that one person had been hospitalised.

Ekenge named Christian Malanga, a U.S.-based Congolese politician, as the leader of the attempted coup.

"Malanga was definitively neutralised during the attack on the Palais de la Nation, a certain Aboubacar was neutralised during the attack on the residence of Vital Kamarhe [and] the others - around 50 including three American citizens - were arrested and are currently undergoing interrogation by the specialised services of the Armed Forces," Ekenge told Reuters.

He said Malanga first attempted and aborted a coup in 2017 and that one of the American citizens arrested was Malanga's son.

A Facebook page appearing to belong to Malanga posted a live-streamed video of what appeared to be the attack.

"We, the militants, are tired. We cannot drag on with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country," Malanga said in Lingala in the video, which has not been independently verified by Reuters.

U.S. Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn said in a post on social media that she was "very concerned" by reports that American citizens had allegedly been involved in the events.

"Please be assured that we will cooperate with the DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any U.S. citizen involved in criminal acts," she said.

The U.S. embassy had earlier issued a security alert warning of "ongoing activity by DRC security elements" and reports of gunfire in the area.

The United Nations' stabilisation mission in the DRC said that its chief, Bintou Keita, condemned the incidents in the strongest terms and offered her support to the Congolese authorities in a post on X.

Tshisekedi was re-elected for a second term as president in December, but has yet to name a government, six weeks after appointing a prime minister.

Kamerhe was a candidate for speaker of parliament in an election that had been scheduled for Saturday but was delayed by Tshisekedi.

[warningsine]

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo’s army said it foiled a coup attempt early Sunday and arrested the perpetrators, including several foreigners, following attacks on the presidential palace and the residence of a close ally of Congo’s president that left three people dead in the capital, Kinshasa.

At first, local media identified the armed men as Congolese soldiers but then reported they were linked to self-exiled opposition figure Christian Malanga, who later posted a video on Facebook threatening President Felix Tshisekedi.

Malanga was killed at the presidential palace after he resisted arrest by guards, Congolese army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Sylvain Ekenge told The Associated Press.

Tshisekedi was reelected as president in December in a chaotic vote amid calls for a revote from the opposition over what they said was a lack of transparency. The Central African country has witnessed similar trends of disputed elections in the past.

Ekenge said on state television Sunday that the attempted coup d’état was “nipped in the bud by Congolese defense and security forces (and) the situation is under control.” Among the perpetrators were three Americans, including the son of Malanga, Ekenge later told the AP.

This also came amid a crisis gripping Tshisekedi’s ruling party over an election for the parliament’s leadership, which was supposed to be held Saturday but was postponed.

Clashes were reported Sunday between men in military uniform and guards of Vital Kamerhe, a federal legislator and a candidate for speaker of the National Assembly of Congo, at his residence in Kinshasa, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the presidential palace and where some embassies are also located.

Kamerhe’s guards stopped the armed men, Michel Moto Muhima, the politician’s spokesperson said on the X social media platform, adding that two police officers and one of the attackers were killed in the shootout that started around 4:30 a.m.

Footage, seemingly from the area, showed military trucks and heavily armed men parading deserted streets in the neighborhood as the army said the situation has been brought under control.

Meanwhile, the self-exiled Malanga appeared in the live-streamed video at the presidential palace surrounded by several people in military uniform and said: “Felix, you’re out. We are coming for you.”

On his website, the opposition leader’s group — the United Congolese Party (UCP) — is described as “a grassroots platform that unifies the Congolese Diaspora around the world opposing the current Congolese dictatorship.”

Tshisekedi hasn’t so far addressed the public about Sunday’s events.

On Friday, he met with parliamentarians and leaders of the Sacred Union of the Nation ruling coalition in an attempt to resolve the crisis seizing his party, which dominates the national assembly. He said he would not “hesitate to dissolve the National Assembly and send everyone to new elections if these bad practices persist.”

The United States Embassy in Congo issued a security alert Sunday, urging caution after “reports of gunfire.”

[the-muse-of-not-writing]

STILL KEEP YOUR EYES ON CONGO

(I'll link the source I used)

There are 500,000 people displaced in the North Kivu province.

On may 3rd the Lac-Vert and Mugunga displacement camps were bombed. 35 people were killed from it.

Also on may 3rd the U.S. wants to have Rwanda revaluated as a UN troop-contributing country because of the breech of international humanitarian law. Yes. THE U.S. said this.

On may 5th, when this information was released to American press, elicited a strong reaction from Rwanda. They rejected it, stating that it was an unjustified accusation and wanted a credible investigation.

It referenced a warring issued by Médecins Sans Frontiéres that drew attention to the HEAVY ARTILLERY placed in the IDP camps by FARDC (démocratiques de líberation du Rwanda. It's composed of an ethnic armed hutu group active in east DRC, and other local armed groups)

Rwanda accused FARDC and the Burundian forces of being deported in Eastern DRC as part of a bilateral agreement with the colongolese government of the deadly shelling.

On may 8th a letter from the DRC was sent to Rwanda and the M23, saying they were the ones responsible for the attack that broke human rights laws.

The DRC urged the council to suspend Rwanda from the UN peace keeping operations until it stops supporting the M23 and withdraws forces from Congolese territory.

The DRC had also reiterated the request to impose sanctions onto Rwanda based on the reportings of a group of experts assisting the 1533 DRC sections committee.

In their June 13th 2023 report, the group of experts with evidence implicating Rwanda was directly intervening inside of Congolese territory to either reinforce M23 combatants or to have military operations against the FDLR

They also found evidence of the FLDR, along with other local groups, have created an entity called Wazalendo to fight the M23. The report said senior FARDC members had coordinated these operations and supported the army groups with logistics, finance, and military equipment.

On may 19th a group of armed men attacked the Palais de la Nation (the Congolese president's office in kinshasa).

Media reports indicated Christian Malanga (a Congolese politician living in the US) was allegedly behind the attack. He had lost his wife, son, and associates during a shootout with government forces.

The Resistance of Vital Kamerhe, deputy prime minister of the economy and leader of the ruling for the UNC party was also targeted. 2 officers were killed in the attack.

On may 22, the national assembly elected Kamerhe as the speaker of parliament. In an appearance on public TV, spokesperson of the Congolese army described the situation as foiled coup.

If I got anything wrong or used a uncreditable source, please let me know.

[revolutioninformationnewsblog]

News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens https://www.merchant-business.com/news24-american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens/?feed_id=21700&_unique_id=66657f81acec6 News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens Google News A Congolese Republican Guard and police road block in Gombe, Kinshasa on 19 May 2024, after what the DRC’s government called a coup attempt involving foreigners. (ARSENE MPIANA / AFP) Three American citizens could face the death penalty in the DRC, for their alleged involvement in a coup. The military court started the prosecution of a group of 53 people, including the dead alleged ringleader, on Friday. Others in the group include dual-national Congolese with citizenship in Canada, Britain, and Belgium. Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened. Marcel Malanga and Taylor Christian Thomson, both 21, and 36-year-old Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun are among 50 defendants in the case and were the first to stand before the judge to hear the charges against them. “These acts are punishable by death,” the presiding judge of the Kinshasa-Gombe military court, Freddy Ehume, told the three in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital. Defendants wearing blue and yellow prison uniforms took the stand one by one under a large tent in the grounds of the Ndolo military prison to hear the charges. Around 10 assault rifles and various other pieces of evidence were placed in front of the judges. Western diplomats, journalists and lawyers were present for the trial, which is set to resume on 14 June . The alleged coup bid occurred on 19 May when armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the early hours before moving onto the nearby Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices. They were seemingly filmed brandishing the flag of Zaire — the name of the Central African country during the rule of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko — and chanting that Tshisekedi’s government was over. The army later announced on national television that security forces had stopped “an attempted coup d’etat”. Suspected accomplice The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a “naturalised American” and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said. His son, who is a US citizen, was one of the three Americans to face trial on Friday. Ekenge said around 40 of the assailants, of “various nationalities”, had been arrested and a further four killed, including Malanga. The motive behind the alleged incident remains unclear but the government condemned it as an attempt to “destabilise” the vast country’s “institutions”. Four women are among the accused, as well as a Canadian, a Briton and a Belgian, Jean-Jacques Wondo, who are all naturalised Congolese. Wondo, a military expert of Congolese origin, was arrested two days after the events, on 21 May. He is accused of being an “accomplice of Christian Malanga” by “providing transport” for the alleged putschists, his lawyer said. Wondo refuted the charges against him and would defend himself, lawyer Masingo Shela added. Also among those being tried was a teacher, farmer and journalist. A judge read the defendants their charges, but at this stage they have not presented their defence. According to a court document, a total of 53 defendants are on trial, including Christian Malanga, even though he is dead. The charges include “attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism”, according to the document. A separate investigation is being carried out into extrajudicial executions which allegedly

took place after the operation, when soldiers were filmed shooting at two suspected unarmed putschists, including one who had jumped into the Congo river to try to escape. Last March, the Congolese government lifted the moratorium on the death penalty which had been in force since 2003 in the country. The measure targeted in particular soldiers accused of treason, at a time when the east of the country is in the grip of an armed rebellion. Source of this programme “This is one awesome plugin!!” “Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened.” Source: Read More Source Link: https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens-20240607 #GoogleNews – BLOGGER – GoogleNews The post News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy! Global, GoogleNews - BLOGGER - #Global #GoogleNews

[productinternetnews]

News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens https://www.merchant-business.com/news24-american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens/?feed_id=21699&_unique_id=66657f812ab2c News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens Google News A Congolese Republican Guard and police road block in Gombe, Kinshasa on 19 May 2024, after what the DRC’s government called a coup attempt involving foreigners. (ARSENE MPIANA / AFP) Three American citizens could face the death penalty in the DRC, for their alleged involvement in a coup. The military court started the prosecution of a group of 53 people, including the dead alleged ringleader, on Friday. Others in the group include dual-national Congolese with citizenship in Canada, Britain, and Belgium. Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened. Marcel Malanga and Taylor Christian Thomson, both 21, and 36-year-old Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun are among 50 defendants in the case and were the first to stand before the judge to hear the charges against them. “These acts are punishable by death,” the presiding judge of the Kinshasa-Gombe military court, Freddy Ehume, told the three in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital. Defendants wearing blue and yellow prison uniforms took the stand one by one under a large tent in the grounds of the Ndolo military prison to hear the charges. Around 10 assault rifles and various other pieces of evidence were placed in front of the judges. Western diplomats, journalists and lawyers were present for the trial, which is set to resume on 14 June . The alleged coup bid occurred on 19 May when armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the early hours before moving onto the nearby Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices. They were seemingly filmed brandishing the flag of Zaire — the name of the Central African country during the rule of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko — and chanting that Tshisekedi’s government was over. The army later announced on national television that security forces had stopped “an attempted coup d’etat”. Suspected accomplice The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a “naturalised American” and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said. His son, who is a US citizen, was one of the three Americans to face trial on Friday. Ekenge said around 40 of the assailants, of “various nationalities”, had been arrested and a further four killed, including Malanga. The motive behind the alleged incident remains unclear but the government condemned it as an attempt to “destabilise” the vast country’s “institutions”. Four women are among the accused, as well as a Canadian, a Briton and a Belgian, Jean-Jacques Wondo, who are all naturalised Congolese. Wondo, a military expert of Congolese origin, was arrested two days after the events, on 21 May. He is accused of being an “accomplice of Christian Malanga” by “providing transport” for the alleged putschists, his lawyer said. Wondo refuted the charges against him and would defend himself, lawyer Masingo Shela added. Also among those being tried was a teacher, farmer and journalist. A judge read the defendants their charges, but at this stage they have not presented their defence. According to a court document, a total of 53 defendants are on trial, including Christian Malanga, even though he is dead. The charges include “attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism”, according to the document. A separate investigation is being carried out into extrajudicial executions which allegedly

took place after the operation, when soldiers were filmed shooting at two suspected unarmed putschists, including one who had jumped into the Congo river to try to escape. Last March, the Congolese government lifted the moratorium on the death penalty which had been in force since 2003 in the country. The measure targeted in particular soldiers accused of treason, at a time when the east of the country is in the grip of an armed rebellion. Source of this programme “This is one awesome plugin!!” “Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened.” Source: Read More Source Link: https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens-20240607 #GoogleNews – BLOGGER – GoogleNews The post News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy! Global, GoogleNews

[iweb-rdc001]

RDC : Sama Lukonde, JP Bemba, Vital Kamerhe, Bahati Lukwebo, Julien Paluku, JP. Lihau : qui incarne mieux le portait d'un bon Premier ministre ?

Après la victoire de Félix Tshisekedi à la présidentielle, la guerre au sein de la Cour royale est d’ores et déjà lancée. Des acteurs de l’Union sacrée qui ont été impliqués dans la réélection du président espèrent bien obtenir leur part de gâteau lors du partage du pouvoir.   Et, tout devrait commencer par la primature. A moins que Félix Tshisekedi tienne compte du leader politique qui aura le…

[businessnewswebsiteonline]

News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens - #Global #GoogleNews https://www.merchant-business.com/news24-american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens/?feed_id=21697&_unique_id=66657f800e841 News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens Google News A Congolese Republican Guard and police road block in Gombe, Kinshasa on 19 May 2024, after what the DRC’s government called a coup attempt involving foreigners. (ARSENE MPIANA / AFP) Three American citizens could face the death penalty in the DRC, for their alleged involvement in a coup. The military court started the prosecution of a group of 53 people, including the dead alleged ringleader, on Friday. Others in the group include dual-national Congolese with citizenship in Canada, Britain, and Belgium. Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened. Marcel Malanga and Taylor Christian Thomson, both 21, and 36-year-old Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun are among 50 defendants in the case and were the first to stand before the judge to hear the charges against them. “These acts are punishable by death,” the presiding judge of the Kinshasa-Gombe military court, Freddy Ehume, told the three in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital. Defendants wearing blue and yellow prison uniforms took the stand one by one under a large tent in the grounds of the Ndolo military prison to hear the charges. Around 10 assault rifles and various other pieces of evidence were placed in front of the judges. Western diplomats, journalists and lawyers were present for the trial, which is set to resume on 14 June . The alleged coup bid occurred on 19 May when armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the early hours before moving onto the nearby Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices. They were seemingly filmed brandishing the flag of Zaire — the name of the Central African country during the rule of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko — and chanting that Tshisekedi’s government was over. The army later announced on national television that security forces had stopped “an attempted coup d’etat”. Suspected accomplice The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a “naturalised American” and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said. His son, who is a US citizen, was one of the three Americans to face trial on Friday. Ekenge said around 40 of the assailants, of “various nationalities”, had been arrested and a further four killed, including Malanga. The motive behind the alleged incident remains unclear but the government condemned it as an attempt to “destabilise” the vast country’s “institutions”. Four women are among the accused, as well as a Canadian, a Briton and a Belgian, Jean-Jacques Wondo, who are all naturalised Congolese. Wondo, a military expert of Congolese origin, was arrested two days after the events, on 21 May. He is accused of being an “accomplice of Christian Malanga” by “providing transport” for the alleged putschists, his lawyer said. Wondo refuted the charges against him and would defend himself, lawyer Masingo Shela added. Also among those being tried was a teacher, farmer and journalist. A judge read the defendants their charges, but at this stage they have not presented their defence. According to a court document, a total of 53 defendants are on trial, including Christian Malanga, even though he is dead. The charges include “attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism”, according to the document. A separate investigation is being carried out into extrajudicial executions

which allegedly took place after the operation, when soldiers were filmed shooting at two suspected unarmed putschists, including one who had jumped into the Congo river to try to escape. Last March, the Congolese government lifted the moratorium on the death penalty which had been in force since 2003 in the country. The measure targeted in particular soldiers accused of treason, at a time when the east of the country is in the grip of an armed rebellion. Source of this programme “This is one awesome plugin!!” “Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened.” Source: Read More Source Link: https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens-20240607 #GoogleNews – BLOGGER – GoogleNews The post News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy! Global, GoogleNews BLOGGER - #Global #GoogleNews

[lisolo1973]

L'ancien directeur de cabinet du président Félix Tshisekedi, Vital Kamerhe a été reçu à la cité de l'union africaine

L’ancien directeur de cabinet du président Félix Tshisekedi, Vital Kamerhe a été reçu à la cité de l’union africaine

Vital Kamerhe en compagnie du président Félix Tshisekedi à la cité de l’Union africaine. Après sa sortie de prison et son acquittement par la justice congolaise dans l’affaire 100 jours, le président national du parti politique UNC a été reçu ce mardi 28 Juin par le président de la République à la cité de l’Union Africaine plusieurs sujets ont été abordés entre les deux personnalités. Les deux…

[bikekokin24]

Assassinat manqué de Vital Kamerhe : Hommages aux policiers tombés à sa résidence

Le député national Jonas Tshundutshundu, haut cadre de l’UNC, a rendu hommage aux deux policiers qui ont tragiquement perdu la vie lors de l’assassinat manqué de Vital Kamerhe le 19 mai 2024. Dans un message accompagné d’une courte exhortation, il a souligné que si les rôles avaient été inversés, c’est Kamerhe que le monde entier pleurerait aujourd’hui. De son côté, le président de l’Assemblée…

[marketingnewsbusinessmerchant]

News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens - #Global #GoogleNews https://www.merchant-business.com/news24-american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens/?feed_id=21698&_unique_id=66657f809a79f News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens Google News A Congolese Republican Guard and police road block in Gombe, Kinshasa on 19 May 2024, after what the DRC’s government called a coup attempt involving foreigners. (ARSENE MPIANA / AFP) Three American citizens could face the death penalty in the DRC, for their alleged involvement in a coup. The military court started the prosecution of a group of 53 people, including the dead alleged ringleader, on Friday. Others in the group include dual-national Congolese with citizenship in Canada, Britain, and Belgium. Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened. Marcel Malanga and Taylor Christian Thomson, both 21, and 36-year-old Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun are among 50 defendants in the case and were the first to stand before the judge to hear the charges against them. “These acts are punishable by death,” the presiding judge of the Kinshasa-Gombe military court, Freddy Ehume, told the three in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital. Defendants wearing blue and yellow prison uniforms took the stand one by one under a large tent in the grounds of the Ndolo military prison to hear the charges. Around 10 assault rifles and various other pieces of evidence were placed in front of the judges. Western diplomats, journalists and lawyers were present for the trial, which is set to resume on 14 June . The alleged coup bid occurred on 19 May when armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the early hours before moving onto the nearby Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices. They were seemingly filmed brandishing the flag of Zaire — the name of the Central African country during the rule of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko — and chanting that Tshisekedi’s government was over. The army later announced on national television that security forces had stopped “an attempted coup d’etat”. Suspected accomplice The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a “naturalised American” and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said. His son, who is a US citizen, was one of the three Americans to face trial on Friday. Ekenge said around 40 of the assailants, of “various nationalities”, had been arrested and a further four killed, including Malanga. The motive behind the alleged incident remains unclear but the government condemned it as an attempt to “destabilise” the vast country’s “institutions”. Four women are among the accused, as well as a Canadian, a Briton and a Belgian, Jean-Jacques Wondo, who are all naturalised Congolese. Wondo, a military expert of Congolese origin, was arrested two days after the events, on 21 May. He is accused of being an “accomplice of Christian Malanga” by “providing transport” for the alleged putschists, his lawyer said. Wondo refuted the charges against him and would defend himself, lawyer Masingo Shela added. Also among those being tried was a teacher, farmer and journalist. A judge read the defendants their charges, but at this stage they have not presented their defence. According to a court document, a total of 53 defendants are on trial, including Christian Malanga, even though he is dead. The charges include “attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism”, according to the document. A separate investigation is being carried out into extrajudicial executions

which allegedly took place after the operation, when soldiers were filmed shooting at two suspected unarmed putschists, including one who had jumped into the Congo river to try to escape. Last March, the Congolese government lifted the moratorium on the death penalty which had been in force since 2003 in the country. The measure targeted in particular soldiers accused of treason, at a time when the east of the country is in the grip of an armed rebellion. Source of this programme “This is one awesome plugin!!” “Three American suspects in what the Congolese army called an attempted coup in Kinshasa last month committed acts “punishable by death”, a court heard on Friday as their trial opened.” Source: Read More Source Link: https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/american-coup-accused-told-they-face-death-penalty-as-drc-military-trial-opens-20240607 #GoogleNews – BLOGGER – GoogleNews The post News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy! Global, GoogleNews News24 | American ‘coup’ accused told they face death penalty as DRC military trial opens Google News A Congolese Republican Guard and police road block in Gombe, Kinshasa on 19 May 2024, after what the DRC’s government called a coup attempt involving foreigners. (ARSENE MPIANA / AFP) Three American citizens could face the death penalty … Read More

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#PoliticoCD. | Vital Kamerhe sur l’Union sacrée : « Nous allons continuer ce mandat ensemble »

#PoliticoCD. | Vital Kamerhe sur l’Union sacrée : « Nous allons continuer ce mandat ensemble »

Acquitté par la justice congolaise dans l’affaire d’un prétendu détournement de fonds alloué au programme d’urgence de Félix Tshisekedi, Vital Kamerhe estime que le procès qui lui a été intenté est « cynique ». Dans une interview accordée à la presse après sa rencontre, le mardi soir à la Cité de l’Union africaine, avec le Président de la République, Vital Kamerhe dit avoir apprécié la séparation…