A high court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has just sentenced a presidential candidate, Jean-Marc Kabund, to seven years in prison over 12 charges that include spreading false rumours and abusing the head of state.
His lawyer had made this revelation on Wednesday, September 13.
Kabund had been a former vice president of parliament and a tight associate of President Felix Tshisekedi who established his own political party last year after the two began having issues.
Note that Kabund has been held in Kinshasa’s major prison since his apprehension in August 2022, after he called Tshisekedi a “hazard” and castigated his government in a speech.
Kabund’s lawyer, Kadi Diko had informed Reuters, that the most grievous offences were “spreading untruthful rumours” and having “disdain for head of state and parliament”.
“The court sentenced him to four months each for the first nine offences and 16 months each for the last three crimes. There is no appeal for this judgement.”
DR Congo will be holding a general election on December 20 and it is likely that Tshisekedi will be seeking a second term in government. Political tensions have meanwhile been increasing ahead of the polls.
This was seen when an opposition spokesman was gunned down in the capital city of Kinshasa in July. Opposition parties have staged bloody protests, criticising the many irregularities in voter registration.
Kabund was sentenced to jail by the Court of Cassation, one of DR Congo’s highest courts, and it does not permit for appeals.
