The High Military Court recently organized a hearing of the defendant and national deputy Édouard Mwangachuchu, who clearly declared his innocence to the charges of treason, participation in an insurrectionary movement, espionage and illegal possession of weapons of war. Mwangachuchu insisted on his integrity and claimed that all accusations against him are fabricated in order to make him look ridiculous.
The case presented by the prosecution is made up of a number of documents which seem to overwhelm the defendant. These include a judgment of a people’s court in Rwanda at Gachacha, the report of a meeting of the customer services of Rwandair, the estimates for the construction of a house in Lemera in Rwanda, the Rwandan passports of Mr. Ruhando Ndatira Ernest, Madame Uwingamire Angélique and Kaligirwa Ema. However, Mwangachuchu denied knowledge of these documents and called all these documents “made up”.
Édouard Mwangachuchu and his co-defendant are suspected of having links with the M23 rebels, but Mwangachuchu’s innocence remains to be proven in court. Tensions are mounting as elections approach in the DRC, and the stakes are higher than ever. Civil society organizations have already called for general mobilization to guarantee credible elections in the country.
In this context of political tension, President Félix Tshisekedi wanted to reaffirm his commitment to the security and stability of the DRC. The CENI, for its part, announced the official calling of national legislative elections in December 2023. However, to guarantee a more inclusive electoral process, meetings with political leaders have been organized.
Ultimately, it is clear that the political stakes in the DRC are higher than ever, and steps must be taken to ensure credible and peaceful elections.