DR Congo: President Felix Tshisekedi's top advisor goes on trial for corruption

The powerful top advisor to DR Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has gone on a trial for corruption on May 11 in a case without precedent in the vast African country, according to a news report by 'The Independent'.

Tshisekedi’s chief of staff, Vital Kamerhe, who has been the chief of staff of President Felix Tshisekedi and leader of the Union for the Congolese Nation opposition party is accused of embezzling more than 50 million dollars.

Kamerhe has been in custody since April 8 and goes on trial with two other defendants, a Lebanese businessman and another presidential official.

Kamerhe said to have been in charge of authorizing public expenditure, is accused of embezzling public funds intended to finance major works under a 100-day emergency action plan launched by Tshisekedi after he took office in January last year.

The defendants are accused of embezzling almost 49 million dollars from funds for building 4,500 pre-fabricated homes for poor people and allegedly siphoned off another 2 million dollars from a program to build housing for police and the military in Kinshasa.

Kamerhe, who has not stood down or been sacked since being charged, denies the allegations against him, saying all public sector contracts were inherited from previous governments.

The trial was initially expected to be held in Kinshasa’s high court but is now taking place in the Makala prison compound where Kamerhe has been held for more than a month.