The trial of national deputy Edouard Mwangachuchu continues to arouse strong reactions. Mwangachuchu’s lawyers strongly contested the charges brought against their client during the hearing on Friday August 22. According to them, the file is empty and the accusations of the auditor general of the FARDC are unfounded.
Maître Thomas Gamakolo, Mwangachuchu’s lawyer, said the prosecution was in dire straits, no longer knowing how to support its charges. He pointed out that the espionage debate, originally put forward by the prosecution, was closed because there was no evidence to support it. He also questioned the treason charges, asking how the prosecution would cope.
The lawyer also pointed out that Mwangachuchu’s nationality could not be questioned from a simple Covid test, but had to be proven by the passport. He claimed that his client had 11 Congolese passports and no Rwandan passports, thus demonstrating his Congolese nationality. According to him, the file is empty, just like the tomb of Christ, and his client did not commit any of the charges against him.
The High Military Court clarified that its role was to judge the facts and not the incriminations. The prosecution has acknowledged that the Covid test is not sufficient to prove someone’s nationality. The case was adjourned to a forthcoming hearing for the parties’ pleadings and the public prosecutor’s indictment.
It is clear that this trial raises many questions about the real evidence and the validity of the charges against Edouard Mwangachuchu. Mwangachuchu’s lawyers will continue to defend their client and challenge the prosecution’s arguments. The rest of the trial therefore promises to be particularly interesting