The Kinshasa-Gombe Court of Appeal is at the center of judicial news today. Indeed, the court did not rule on the dismissal of jurisdiction requested by Fortunat Biselele, charged with treason, undermining the external security of the State and spreading false rumors. The former private adviser to the Head of State appealed to the Court of Appeal for “legitimate suspicion of the judges of the High Court (TGI) of Gombe” and wishes that the file be transferred to the TGI of Kinshasa-Kalamu.
However, the Court of Appeal declared itself not seized following a problem with the registry “had obviously not prepared the file well”. According to a judicial source, a new hearing date is awaited. A defense attorney reportedly confirmed the news.
Meanwhile, the accused, Fortunat Biselele, remains uncertain about the outcome of his trial. His request to transfer the file to the TGI of Kinshasa-Kalamu remains pending and can only be satisfied if the Court of Appeal declares itself seized.
This news clearly demonstrates the dysfunctions in the Congolese judicial system, recalling also that justice is supposed to be one of the cornerstones of society. The wait in this kind of situation is often long and frustrating for the parties involved, and can make the justice system appear slow and inefficient.
It is therefore important for the judicial system to put in place a reform to avoid such dysfunctions, and to guarantee citizens faster and fairer access to justice.