(JED/IFEX) – On 31 March 2005, Médard Ndinga Masakuba and François Mada, publisher and publication director, respectively, of the twice-weekly Kinshasa-based newspaper “La Manchette”, were arrested, handcuffed and taken into custody at the Kinshasa/Kalamu High Court Prosecutor’s Office by six judicial police officers. The two journalists spent the night at the Prosecutor’s Office’s detention facility. […]
(JED/IFEX) – On 31 March 2005, Médard Ndinga Masakuba and François Mada, publisher and publication director, respectively, of the twice-weekly Kinshasa-based newspaper “La Manchette”, were arrested, handcuffed and taken into custody at the Kinshasa/Kalamu High Court Prosecutor’s Office by six judicial police officers.
The two journalists spent the night at the Prosecutor’s Office’s detention facility. They were only questioned the next day at noon (local time). A judge interrogated them about two articles that appeared in issues 661 and 662 of “La Manchette”. The articles dealt with a conflict involving two traditional chiefs in the Bulungu territory, in Bandundu province, western Democratic Republic of Congo.
The journalists were accused of making “damaging allegations” against Biba Ngola, one of two pretenders to the Bulungu territory throne. Ngola was described as a “slave” in the articles.
The journalists were released on 1 April, in the afternoon, and ordered to appear before the examining magistrate on 5 April at 9:00 a.m.
