(JED/IFEX) – Jean Kasangana Mbengu and Diaki Vangamene, a journalist and cameraman respectively for the Kinshasa-based Congolese National Radio-Television, (Radio-télévision nationale congolaise, RTNC, the public broadcaster), were arrested on 19 August in Kamituga, a village about 70 km from Bukavu, South Kivu province’s main city. The journalists were taken to Bukavu and held at an […]
(JED/IFEX) – Jean Kasangana Mbengu and Diaki Vangamene, a journalist and cameraman respectively for the Kinshasa-based Congolese National Radio-Television, (Radio-télévision nationale congolaise, RTNC, the public broadcaster), were arrested on 19 August in Kamituga, a village about 70 km from Bukavu, South Kivu province’s main city. The journalists were taken to Bukavu and held at an undisclosed location. Utesha Dunia, the manager of the national mining corporation Société minière congolaise (SOMICO), and another shareholder were arrested at the same time as the journalists and detained at local intelligence services’ offices.
The official reason for the arrests is unknown. However, another RTNC journalist, Feza Shabani Kalongola, who JED contacted on 20 August, believes the incident to be linked to a contract dispute between SOMICO and another private mining company, SAKIMA BANRO, and that the arrests were ordered by South Kivu Governor Augustin Bulayimu, who was acting on orders from Kinshasa.
JED contacted Governor Bulayimu’s personal secretary and was told that the journalists were not “on an official [RTNC] mission”. RTNC manager Kipolongo Mokambilwa denies the charge.
Bulayimu’s secretary did not say where the two journalists were being held.
