The High Military Court sitting in mobile court at the Ndolo military prison recently heard the former provincial police commissioner in North Kivu, Vital Umiya Awashango, in the case involving the national deputy Edouard Mwangachuchu. During this hearing, Awashango confirmed that the vast majority of police officers involved in securing the Société Bisunzu Mining (SMB) mine were former CNDP and M23 members. The police chief also clarified that the provincial police station of the PNC does not receive any funds from the SMB as a reward.
Edouard Mwangachuchu and his co-defendant are suspected of having links with the M23 rebels. They are prosecuted for treason, participation in an insurrectionary movement, espionage and illegal possession of weapons of war. The proceedings were initiated following the discovery of weapons of war in the residence of Edouard Mwangachuchu in Kinshasa as well as in the premises of his company SMB in Masisi in North Kivu.
Vital Awashango explained to the Court how the police station recruited the different units within the police. “When we arrived in Goma, when the M23 withdrew on December 4, 2012, all the people we found, we recruited them and afterwards, over time, we started checking. There was no CNDP, everyone was from the national police,” he explained in response to a question from the Court on the presence of M23 elements in the police.
Besides Vital Umiya Awashango, several police officials will appear as witnesses. These include the current head of police in North Kivu, chief commissioner Sadiki Makengo, deputy senior commissioner Kasongo Ngoy Van, etc.
The next hearing is scheduled for Friday, June 9