(JED/IFEX) – On 14 February 2004, the Tshikapa Tribunal’s Prosecutor’s Office requested a 12-month prison sentence with no parole against Roger Salomon Lulemba Kiabululu, a correspondent with the Kinshasa-based weekly “L’Eveil”. Lulemba was earlier charged with “defamation” against diamond entrepreneur Shamwenze Mwahindji. Tshikapa is the second largest city in West Kasai province, in the Democratic […]
(JED/IFEX) – On 14 February 2004, the Tshikapa Tribunal’s Prosecutor’s Office requested a 12-month prison sentence with no parole against Roger Salomon Lulemba Kiabululu, a correspondent with the Kinshasa-based weekly “L’Eveil”. Lulemba was earlier charged with “defamation” against diamond entrepreneur Shamwenze Mwahindji. Tshikapa is the second largest city in West Kasai province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s central region.
In its 3 October 2003 edition, “L’Eveil” newspaper published an article written by Lulemba in which he reported on a conflict in the village of Mutshima between soldiers in the pay of Mwahindji and a group of young people commonly referred to as the “red army”. Mutshima is located 110 kilometres from Tshikapa, near the Angolan border.
Following seven public hearings, the court recessed on 14 February. A decision in the case is to be announced at a later date. The journalist is being represented by lawyer Jean-Marie Mamba Kanku.
In addition, in a separate case in Tshikapa, Casimir Twite, a correspondent for the Kinshasa-based newspaper “L’Alerte”, was summoned on 26 February to appear before the Luebo High Court to face a charge of “defamation” brought by court bailiff Ignace Mulumba Nkoshi. The Luebo court is sitting in Tshikapa.
In an article that appeared in the 17 February edition of “L’Alerte” (issue 207), Twite reported on a case of influence peddling involving the bailiff. The first public hearing in the case is scheduled to get underway at the Luebo High Court on 9 March at 9:00 a.m. (local time). Mulumba Nkoshi is seeking US$10,000 in damages and interest.
