DRC: MIBA official sentenced in diamond theft case
Diamond miner in an abandoned mine in Tshikapa in the Kasai region, central DRC, July 29, 2017. JUNIOR D. KANNAH / AFP
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3 min
There was indeed the theft of diamonds from MIBA, the Bakwanga Mining Company, which exploits the Kasai diamonds on behalf of the State, which owns 80% of this company.
This is what justice recognized in the so-called “Fancy Green” trial.
The head of the MIBA triage center, the only accused, Jean-Pierre Tshibangu Tshibangu, was sentenced to two years in prison for having stolen this green diamond, and to reimburse its price, a few tens of thousands of dollars, to the mining company.
Civil society only learned of the conviction on Thursday, September 24.
The verdict of this very followed affair had however been rendered last September 18, in writing, on the sly.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa,
Sonia Rolley
This is the improbable outcome of an incredible legal procedure where the civil party, MIBA, denied to the end the existence of this diamond.
For the lawyer of the two whistleblowers who had denounced the disappearance of Fancy Green, it is a disappointment.
“
Many people do not even have the information that the verdict has already taken place,
deplores Me Trésor Katende.
The verdict is in the hands of the clerk and anyone who wants to know more about it has only to go to the clerk.
Something that the little people cannot do.
It was necessary for the judges to rule in a public hearing.
"
For the citizen movement, La Lucha, this condemnation is a step in the right direction.
But we are far from exemplary justice, as activist Nicolas Mbiya denounces: "
The real justice in this case would have been the conviction of Tshibangu Tshibangu to a very severe prison sentence as well as his accomplices, his colleagues who worked with him. him in the marshalling yard.
The second thing should be the establishment of accountability to the top line managers or top MIBA officials because they have been too complacent and too careless.
"
Protection of whistleblowers
The whistleblower and consultant, Claude Mianzuila, had been arrested and detained for several weeks.
The MIBA expert, François Sangani, who had confirmed his statements and denounced the replacement of thousands of stones such as Fancy Green for stones of lesser quality, was dismissed.
The Congo is not for sale platform called on the Congolese authorities to protect whistleblowers like Claude Mianzuila and François Sangani and restore them to their rights.
So far, believes this group of NGOs, there are very few investigations and whistleblowers are rather criminalized in the DRC.
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To read also: DRC: the director of MIBA sacked for mismanagement
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Democratic Republic of Congo / Economy
DRC: MIBA director sacked for mismanagement