Special anti-corruption law in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A step towards the fight against acts of embezzlement of public funds
In a move to intensify the fight against corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption (APLC) is calling for the creation of a special anti-corruption law. Beny-Laure Kamwiziku, Deputy Coordinator in charge of detection, prevention and administration of the APLC, stressed during a panel on the fight against corruption that the current criminal law does not cover all aspects of this scourge and that more stringent measures are needed.
The APLC particularly deplores the existence of a category of people considered untouchable, protected by certain immunities. In its proposed anti-corruption law, the APLC aims to put an end to this impunity by allowing legal proceedings against anyone accused of corruption, regardless of their status or function. The offense of corruption would thus be made imprescriptible, which would strengthen the prosecution of the perpetrators of these reprehensible acts.
The economic benefits of the action of the APLC are already visible. Thanks to the missions carried out in particular in the province of Lualaba, more than 300 million US dollars have been recovered by the Public Treasury. In addition, more than 150 looted public real estate assets have been identified and steps are underway to restore the Congolese state to its legitimate rights.
For Francis Lusakueno, Deputy Coordinator in charge of prosecutions and follow-up of cases before the courts, the digitization of the country’s institutions is a crucial element in the fight against corruption. It would allow for better transparency and more effective monitoring of financial flows, thus reducing the possibilities of misappropriation of public funds.
This panel on the fight against corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo also brought together representatives of the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and the National Financial Intelligence Unit (CENAREF). This collaboration between different institutional actors is essential to strengthen the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures and improve governance in the country.
The Democratic Republic of Congo still has a long way to go to eradicate corruption completely, but current efforts, such as the APLC’s proposed anti-corruption law, show a desire to break impunity and restore confidence in the institutions. Better regulation, combined with strict enforcement of existing laws, will help prevent acts of corruption and promote healthy economic and social development for all Congolese citizens