DRC: justice grants provisional release to Vital Kamerhe
Vital Kamerhe will have to pay 500,000 US dollars to enjoy this provisional release (illustration image) AFP / File
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The Court of Cassation decided on Monday to grant provisional release to Vital Kamerhe, former president of the National Assembly, convicted of embezzlement of public funds.
Provisional release motivated by health reasons, but accompanied by a strong deposit.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa
,
Kamanda wa Kamanda Muzembe
Vital Kamerhe will have to spend 500,000 US dollars to enjoy this provisional freedom which is granted to him for humanitarian reasons.
According to the official television which quotes, on its Twitter account, the communication cell of the Court of Cassation, the decision was motivated by the very critical medical picture of the leader of the UNC.
And, until late Monday, the formalities were still underway.
It was in the middle of the afternoon that this provisional release was decided.
To rule, the Court of Cassation met in council on two occasions: Friday and Monday, and heard Me Pulusi, Vital Kamerhe's lawyer.
Ally of Félix Tshisekedi during the 2017 elections, to then become his chief of staff, Vital Kamerhe was accused of embezzling funds intended for the work of the first 100 days of President Tshisekedi's mandate.
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To read also: Anti-corruption trial in the DRC: Vital Kamerhe sentenced to "20 years of forced labor"
Sentenced to 13 years in prison, he had repeatedly requested bail without success.
This time, he obtained it from the Court of Cassation before which he had lodged an appeal.
Appeal which must now be considered before Vital Kamerhe is definitively determined on his fate.
His main co-accused, the Lebanese entrepreneur Samih Jammal, is still in detention at Makala prison.
He was sentenced to 6 years on appeal.
His master lawyer Jamal Taeb welcomes the release of Vital Kamerhe and hopes that it will be the same for Samih Jammal.
We are going to submit a request to the Court of Cassation with our Congolese and French colleagues, a request for provisional release as well.
Knowing that, of course, what applies to one also applies to the other.
Our client Samih Jammal is 85 years old, he is sick.
He is in very precarious health conditions ...
Master Jamal Taeb, lawyer for Samih Jammal
Alexandra brangeon
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