DRC: three years in prison required against Vidiye Tshimanga

Screen capture from the video of the newspaper “Le Temps” showing Vidiye Tshimanga.

© YouTube / Le Temps

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In the DRC, three years in prison are required against Vidiye Tshimanga, the former strategic adviser to President Félix Tshisekedi accused, among other things, of corruption.

The case caused a stir in the country in September when a hidden camera recording showed conversations between Mr. Tshimanga and two alleged investors in the mining sector.

With this indictment, his trial, which started on November 14, is almost over.

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With our correspondent in Kinshasa,

Pascal Mulegwa

The indictment of the prosecutor quickly fell: three years in prison for corruption, influence peddling and offenses against the head of state.

A sentence that the prosecutor hopes to see the judge retain without mitigating circumstances.

During the

investigation of his case

, Vidiye Tshimanga had remained faithful to his line of defense.

He claims to have never had physical contact with the alleged investors, whether in Kinshasa or in London where he was when he was trapped.

His comments were, he said, taken out of context.

On Wednesday, he again proclaimed his innocence and denounced a relentlessness.

“ 

In no case did I ask for 20% compensation

 ,” defended the defendant, standing before his judges, demanding to be acquitted.

A judgment within ten days

His lawyers believe that nothing can justify a conviction, even when the prosecutor recalls that Vidiye Tshimanga exposed the president by claiming to have participated in the financing of his electoral campaign in 2018. “

If I ask for something, he gives.

Me, it's the president 

, ”he says in the offending video.

If the judges respect the deadline after the indictment, the judgment will be rendered in ten days.

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