A Congolese member of parliament and mining tycoon has been sentenced to death by a military court in Kinshasa for his alleged involvement in the M23 rebel group and treason against the state. Édouard Mwangachuchu, 70, was found guilty of “illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war”, “participation in the M23 insurrectionary movement” and “treason”, according to the court’s verdict. He was not present at the trial and his lawyers said they would appeal to the Supreme Court.
The M23 was a predominantly Tutsi rebellion that fought the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu from 2012 to 2013, with the support of neighbouring Rwanda, according to Kinshasa and the UN. The group briefly occupied the city of Goma in 2012 before signing a peace agreement with the government in 2013.
The court said that Mwangachuchu, who represents the Masisi territory in North Kivu, had close ties with Rwanda and supplied weapons to the M23 rebels from his mining company, Bisunzu (SMB), which operates in the area. The court also accused him of having real estate in Rwanda and being concerned about its development. Mwangachuchu’s defence team denied the charges and said they were based on ethnic hatred and false accusations. They argued that their client was a victim of threats from both the M23 and Rwandan authorities, and that he had no links with Rwanda or the rebels.
The death penalty is often pronounced in the DRC, but has not been applied for 20 years and is usually commuted to life imprisonment. Human rights groups have condemned the use of capital punishment and called for its abolition.
The case of Mwangachuchu has sparked protests and tensions in North Kivu, where ethnic violence and armed groups continue to pose security challenges. The UN peacekeeping mission in the country, MONUSCO, has urged all parties to respect the rule of law and avoid any escalation. The DRC is rich in natural resources, but has suffered decades of conflict, corruption and instability. The current president, Felix Tshisekedi, who took office in 2019 after a disputed election, has vowed to bring peace and development to the country.
Source: Africanews
