Not long ago, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba, was known as one of the most outspoken critics of Rwanda. He once publicly declared that if elected president, he would launch a war against Rwanda and annex it as the 27th province of Congo. He made these remarks on September 9, 2023, while officially announcing his presidential candidacy.
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However, the situation has dramatically shifted. The man who often presented himself as a “savior of the Congolese people” is now facing serious legal trouble, accused of embezzling state funds in a failed prison construction project in Kisangani, Tshopo Province.
This case escalated on May 21, 2025, when Attorney General Firmin Mvonde sent a letter to National Assembly Speaker Vital Kamerhe, requesting that Mutamba be stripped of his legal immunity so he could be prosecuted. He stands accused of embezzling $19 million from a project worth $29 million meant for building a new prison, a project that never materialized as planned.
On May 26, 2025, during a court appearance in Kinshasa, Mutamba showed no sign of fear. Instead, he pointed fingers at the Attorney General, accusing him of corruption and labelling him a “mafia associate” of former president Joseph Kabila.
He declared: “Tell them he was part of the mafia group that backed Kabila. He tried to tarnish my name. But the God of my ancestors is mightier than theirs. I’m not afraid of prison , I’m ready!”
Mutamba also claimed that Mvonde owns a €900,000 house in Belgium, which he cannot justify, and pledged to expose him. However, he failed to provide any explanation for the $19 million in missing public funds.
Last year, Mutamba himself suspended Mvonde temporarily after prosecutors raided the homes of French diplomats, looking for criminal suspects. That incident caused deep divisions within the justice system, with top officials accusing each other of abuse of power and personal vendettas.
This has led many journalists and analysts to wonder whether Mutamba is telling the truth, or if this is merely a power struggle between rival political elites. Ironically, Mutamba is the same man who once argued that anyone found guilty of embezzling public funds should be sentenced to death.
Currently, the DRC National Assembly has appointed a special commission to assess whether Mutamba should lose his immunity. After completing its report, lawmakers voted last Sunday in favor of prosecution, meaning Mutamba will now face trial as an ordinary citizen. Under Congolese law, he must resign before legal proceedings begin.
