"Constant Mutamba, whose profile in the Democratic Republic of the Congo grew after he proposed the death sentence for officials who stole public money, has found himself on the wrong end of a corruption scandal. A high court in Kinshasa has sentenced the 37-year-old former justice minister to three years of hard labor. He was convicted of embezzling $19.9 million (18 million) in public funds."
"In July, Mutamba argued he is the victim of a political plot. "They wanted the head of a man who disturbed the mafia. I am paying the price for my fight, and I will fight it till the end," he vowed. The ex-minister had pleaded not guilty to the embezzlement charges. His lawyer, Joel Kitenge, criticized the ruling, saying the matter was not handled transparently and that Mutamba "did not steal the money.""
Constant Mutamba, a former justice minister in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was sentenced by a high court in Kinshasa to three years of hard labor after conviction for embezzling $19.9 million in public funds. The Court of Cassation found that he did not follow due process and sought illicit enrichment. Prosecutors allege he diverted money from a fund paid by Uganda as compensation for Congolese victims of fighting between the Ugandan and Rwandan armies to finance a prison in Kisangani. Mutamba resigned in June 2025, denied spending the funds, said he had verbal agreements with authorities and claimed a political plot. His lawyer called the process non-transparent and maintained he did not steal the money.
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