Eteni Longondo, former Minister of Health, Hygiene and Prevention in the government of Sylvestre Ilunkamba, was cleared in the case of embezzlement of funds allocated to the response to Covid-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Indeed, according to his lawyer, Me Hugues Pulusi, the Court of Cassation confirmed the truth of the facts and considered that the former minister never misappropriated the millions of dollars with which he was accused.
This court decision puts an end to a case that had plunged Eteni Longondo into a difficult situation. Indeed, he had been placed under a provisional arrest warrant at the end of August 2021 and detained in Makala central prison. However, he was granted provisional release on September 15, 2021.
The General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) had suspected the former minister of having embezzled more than 7 million dollars intended for the fight against the pandemic. The Court of Auditors had also ordered the former minister to return a sum of more than 277,500 USD overpaid.
The decision of the Court of Cassation is good news for Eteni Longondo, who has always denied the accusations of embezzlement. According to his lawyer, he is a serious man who has worked to avoid the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
However, this case also highlights the lack of transparency in the management of funds allocated to the response to Covid-19 in the DRC, as the country continues to fight the pandemic.
In conclusion, the decision of the Court of Cassation is good news for Eteni Longondo, who was cleared in the case of embezzlement of funds allocated to the response to Covid-19. However, this case raises questions about transparency in the management of funds allocated to the response to the pandemic in the DRC