Today, the Kinshasa-Gombe Court of Appeal must decide whether to accept the request for referral of jurisdiction filed by the defense of Fortunat Biselele, charged with crimes against the state. This request follows the legitimate suspicion expressed by the lawyers of the former private adviser to the Congolese president. Fortunat Biselele, who will not be present at the hearing, is represented by his lawyers, who are requesting his transfer to an appropriate medical facility.
According to family sources, Fortunat Biselele’s health is deteriorating further. If the request for referral of jurisdiction is accepted, the file will be transferred to the TGI of Kinshasa-Kalamu.
Heavy charges hang against Fortunat Biselele, who was arrested last January and detained at the premises of the National Intelligence Agency. His interrogation related to his relations with Rwandan officials and to his remarks made in an interview granted to journalist Alain Foka.
This situation is worrying, as it highlights the deplorable state of the Congolese judicial system, which is often politicized and lacks impartiality. Fortunat Biselele’s lawyers fear that the judges are not impartial and easily adhere to the pattern of the prosecution.
Human rights violations and mob justice practices are common in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the lack of resources and the absence of real political will to improve the situation are glaring. Fortunat Biselele’s dismissal is an example of the need to carry out judicial reform so that fundamental rights are respected and that justice is not instrumentalized for political ends