Title: Stanis Bujakera: New developments in the trial of the false ANR seal
Introduction :
The trial of Stanis Bujakera, accused of manufacturing a false seal of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR), saw new developments during a recent hearing at Makala prison. The Kinshasa-Gombe High Court has begun investigating the case on the merits. The defense made several requests, including that of comparing the false seal with an official specimen from the ANR. Responses to these requests will be given at the next hearing scheduled for November 3.
Analysis of the case:
According to the public prosecutor, Stanis Bujakera would be responsible for manufacturing the false ANR seal. However, the defense raises an important point: it is necessary to compare the fake seal with an official ANR specimen to prove that it is truly a fake. In the absence of this comparison, the defense maintains that their client is not responsible for this fabrication.
The defense requests:
The defense made three main requests during this hearing. First, they asked the ANR to bring a specimen of the seal of the department to which the incriminating document belongs. Secondly, they requested that Stanis Bujakera’s phones, which were in the possession of the prosecution, be brought to court. Finally, they requested that an expert conduct an assessment to determine whether Stanis received or sent the document from his phone. The defense highlights the contradiction of the prosecution, which claims that Stanis received, returned and fabricated the document.
Court response:
The court did not respond to these requests during the hearing, postponing the continuation of the instruction to a next hearing scheduled for November 3. However, the defense believes that their client has the right to request the appointment of another expert if he does not have confidence in the expert present.
Stanis Bujakera’s detention situation:
Stanis Bujakera has been in detention since September 15 at Makala prison. His lawyer claims that his detention is irregular, because no new decision has been taken to renew his detention since that date. The prosecutor, for his part, justified this detention by the risk of Stanis Bujakera fleeing due to his American nationality.
Conclusion :
The trial of Stanis Bujakera in the ANR fake seal case continues with new developments. The defense requests the comparison of the fake seal with an official ANR specimen and the presentation of Stanis’ phones as evidence. The next hearing scheduled for November 3 should provide answers to these requests. In the meantime, Stanis Bujakera remains in detention, raising questions about the regularity of his situation.