DRC: there will be a lawsuit against Vital Kamerhe

Text by: Sonia Rolley Follow

The Attorney General at the Kinshasa-Matete Court of Appeal closed his investigation into the prefabricated houses component and forwarded the file to the Gombe tribunal de grande instance.

Publicity

A date for the first hearing could be set in the next few days, according to a judicial source. As part of the investigation into the 100-day program, the prosecutor considered that there were serious indications of guilt against Vital Kamerhe, the chief of staff of President Tshisekedi, and Jammal Samih, boss of the companies Samibo and Husmal, responsible for delivering 4,500 prefabricated houses, suspected of having overcharged and diverted part of the funds. The lawyers of Vital Kamerhe had nevertheless transmitted on April 13 to the prosecutor 26 documents relating to this case, as well as an explanatory note signed by Vital Kamerhe himself. Documents that RFI was able to partially consult. 

First argument of Vital Kamerhe: it was not he who signed the first contract for the purchase of prefabricated houses signed with Samibo. It is the former Minister of Rural Development and since 2018 and he affirms the contract in support. By including it in the 100-day program, he "only acted according to the principle of state continuity ". The government made eight payments between March and May 2019 for $ 57 million, the total amount of the contract, details the chief of staff. Samibo has already delivered, he says, 80% of the order ... But for the provinces of central Kasai and South Kivu, the government would not have paid for the delivery. The result: 600 houses are said to be blocked at the ports of Lobito and Dar es Salaam.

As for the 3,000 houses ordered from the Husmal company, which has the same owner, Vital Kamerhe acknowledges having been in the driver's seat: it was he himself who requested authorization to enter into this contract by mutual agreement. The director of cabinet does not speak any more this time of continuity of the State, of a “ resigning government ” and of a “ delegation of power ”. No contract presented, but just over two million dollars were disbursed in August 2019 and 37 containers were delivered, he said to Matadi. 

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Ground floor

On the same subject

DRC: Vital Kamerhe's relatives plead his cause with the authorities

DRC: In Vital Kamerhe case, for the prosecution the evidence of guilt is there

Vital Kamerhe arrested in DRC: divisions within the UNC party