Justice in the DRC: When impunity trumps the truth
In a country where impunity seems to reign supreme, the withdrawal of the wanted notice targeting Kalev Mutond, former head of the national intelligence agency (ANR) under the regime of Joseph Kabila, has raised strong criticism. Jean-Claude Muyambo, political opponent who spent years in prison, decided to file a complaint against the Attorney General of Gombé, Robert Kumbu, accused of having given a bonus to violence and impunity by withdrawing this opinion of research.
The charges against Kalev Mutond are serious: torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions. However, with this withdrawal of the search notice, he can now move freely both in the Democratic Republic of Congo and abroad, thus escaping any form of justice.
Jean-Claude Muyambo expresses his anger at this decision and wonders about the notion of justice in his country. “Which country are we in? Where is the justice ? he wonders. He also points out that Kalev Mutond has never apologized or shown remorse, which reinforces his sense of outrage. For him, it is unthinkable to grant a pardon so easily to someone who has shown such violence. Muyambo insists that Mutond must be held to account for his actions.
The return of Kalev Mutond to the Democratic Republic of Congo in October 2022 has been negotiated, according to several sources familiar with the matter. Prior to his departure, he was considered powerful and untouchable, but accusations leveled against him by former inmates eventually caught up with his reputation.
In 2020, more than thirty former opponents and human rights defenders seized the Congolese Association for Access to Justice (ACAJ) to denounce the violations of their rights committed by the National Agency for information at the time of Kalev Mutond. Among them was Jean-Claude Muyambo, who believes his rights were violated during his incarceration.
This case highlights the challenges facing justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the need to fight impunity and ensure fair judicial processes. Victims of human rights violations are waiting for justice to be done, and for those responsible to finally be held accountable.
The complaint filed by Jean-Claude Muyambo is one more step towards the search for truth and justice in a country where these values often have difficulty finding their place. We hope that this case will bring to light the injustices committed and advance the fight against impunity.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo needs a strong and independent judicial system to ensure the protection of the fundamental rights of its citizens and to curb the impunity that undermines the people’s trust in the institutions.