(JED/IFEX) – Félix Kabwizi and Déo Mulima, managing editor and journalist, respectively, with the Kinshasa-based daily “La Référence Plus”, have been summoned to appear before a Kinshasa/Gombe court on 25 February 2003. Anaclet Irunt, managing director of Congolese Airlines (Lignes aériennes congolaises, LAC, a public airline), filed a complaint against the journalists and their newspaper […]
(JED/IFEX) – Félix Kabwizi and Déo Mulima, managing editor and journalist, respectively, with the Kinshasa-based daily “La Référence Plus”, have been summoned to appear before a Kinshasa/Gombe court on 25 February 2003. Anaclet Irunt, managing director of Congolese Airlines (Lignes aériennes congolaises, LAC, a public airline), filed a complaint against the journalists and their newspaper for having made “harmful accusations” against him and “use of falsehoods”.
In its 12 February edition (issue 2692), “La Référence Plus” published an article by Mulima entitled “With no airplanes and by mistreating its staff, LAC uses underhanded means to prevent viable companies from operating in the coastal region”. The report also featured a reproduction of an alleged message by Irunt and a chart delineating the company’s financial situation over the last six months of 2002. The chart indicated that LAC’s managing committee had single-handedly used 44 percent of the company’s revenues.
Irunt is seeking US$100,000 in damages and interest.
