(JED/IFEX) – The Kinshasa-based weekly “Lubilanji Expansion” managing director, Mr Arthur Tshimanga Kaputu was released on 21 April 2006 after 72 hours of incarceration. Kaputu was released after the arrest on 20 April in late afternoon of Mr Kazadi Kasumpata, the real author of the article in question. According to the Magistrate overseeing the case, […]
(JED/IFEX) – The Kinshasa-based weekly “Lubilanji Expansion” managing director, Mr Arthur Tshimanga Kaputu was released on 21 April 2006 after 72 hours of incarceration. Kaputu was released after the arrest on 20 April in late afternoon of Mr Kazadi Kasumpata, the real author of the article in question.
According to the Magistrate overseeing the case, Tshimanga was put in custody because, as a citizen, he was charged with defamatory allegations against the “l’Université Protestante” (UPC) in his newspaper.
BACKGROUND
On Tuesday 18 April, ARTHUR TSHIMANGA KAPUTU was incarcerated in a Kinshasa/Gombe Great Instance Court (GIC) jail, following a complaint made by the (L’Université Protestante). In its n° 188 edition (07 to 14 March), the paper had published in headlines an article entitled, “Scandale à l’Université Protestante du Congo”, in which the author accused the university of embezzlement and donations mismanagement The journalist was questioned with statement by the magistrate, Edmond Isofa Ipanga on the note published in n° 190 edition (07 to 14 April). The latter had been a reaction to the UPC rectification reply to Kaputu’s.
