Fatshimetrie, November 4, 2024 – A case of embezzlement of drilling funds is making headlines in Kinshasa. Indeed, the opening of the hearing was held yesterday at the Court of Cassation, pitting the public prosecutor against former senior officials and renowned businessmen, including François Rubota, former Minister of Rural Development, and Mike Kasanga, an emblematic figure of Congolese employers.
The case goes back to suspicions of overbilling linked to a contract for the installation of drilling and construction of water treatment plants across the Democratic Republic of Congo. Indeed, the initial agreement between the Congolese government and the consortium Stever Construct Cameroun SARL and Sotrad Water raises serious questions. The project involved installing 1,000 solar water pumping and treatment units in 1,000 localities, for a colossal amount of nearly $400 million over a five-year period.
During this marathon hearing, the presiding judge gave the defendants two weeks to prepare, stressing the importance of carefully studying the case file, which included no fewer than 195 exhibits. One of the counsels also stressed that the file was much smaller than the 1,843 exhibits initially mentioned, drawing attention to the importance of rigor and intellectual honesty in this complex case.
This case of embezzlement of drilling funds raises crucial questions about transparency and good governance in the management of public funds in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The stakes are high, and the outcome of this trial could have major repercussions on the country, both politically and economically.
As we await November 18, when the hearing will resume, the anticipation is palpable, both on the side of the accusers and the accused. This case highlights the gray areas of public management in the DRC, and underlines the crucial importance of fighting corruption and financial embezzlement that hinder the country’s development.
Fatshimetrie will continue to follow this case closely and to inform its readers of developments in this trial, which promises to be a decisive step in the fight against corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo.