The Justice Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Constant Mutamba — who recently declared that if he won the presidential elections he would annex Rwanda and turn it into DR Congo’s 27th province, while also ordering the arrest of President Paul Kagame, appeared before prosecutors on Tuesday, accompanied by 20 lawyers.
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He is being investigated for allegedly embezzling 39 million US dollars that had been allocated for the construction of a new prison in Kisangani.
This self-proclaimed anti-corruption crusader and so-called justice warrior once proposed that anyone found guilty of embezzling public funds should face the death penalty.
Ironically, he is now appearing before justice himself, accused of ordering the payment of $19 million before the prison construction contract was even officially awarded. That advance payment is believed to be the means through which the funds continued to be siphoned off suspiciously.
His office and allies did not hesitate to express their support. Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people accompanying him, singing his praises and chanting that “he is innocent.”
Although he had once stated that he would never appear before prosecutors because the Chief Prosecutor, Firmin Mvonde, was also suspected of crimes, Mutamba agreed to testify after Parliament authorized his prosecution, following recommendations from a special commission assigned to the case.
After finishing his statement on May 26, Mutamba fiercely accused Prosecutor Mvonde, calling him “a mafia man from Kabila’s camp” and vowed to expose his assets. He also demanded an investigation into a house allegedly owned by Mvonde in Belgium worth 900,000 euros.
He said, “I’m not afraid of going to jail. I’m ready! The God of my ancestors is greater than yours.”
Mutamba, who recently made provocative remarks claiming Rwanda should be part of DR Congo, has also made several controversial statements that have never been endorsed by experts or the international community.
In October 2023, he openly declared that if he won the election, he would “launch a war against Rwanda,” a statement many interpreted as political posturing driven by hatred.
These developments are happening amid growing tensions within Congo’s justice system, where some leaders are reportedly using state power to settle personal scores.
Last year, Mutamba himself temporarily suspended Chief Prosecutor Mvonde after prosecutors raided the home of French diplomats, a move that sparked major diplomatic tension.
Now, the big question being asked is: Will the minister who called for Kagame’s arrest and vowed to fight Rwanda finish this year without facing full justice?
If found guilty, Mutamba could become one of the first top officials in President Félix Tshisekedi’s government to be prosecuted for high-level corruption, a scandal that could abruptly end his political career before his ambitions to run for president take shape.
