(JED/IFEX) – Washington Lutumba and Jules-César Mayimbi, correspondents for the dailies “Le Potentiel” and “Forum des As”, respectively, were released on 18 May 2001. Further to their request, the Matadi Court granted them a temporary release. In a telephone conversation with JED on Thursday 24 May, Christian Bossombo Lokenge, the Matadi Appeals Court’s public prosecutor, […]
(JED/IFEX) – Washington Lutumba and Jules-César Mayimbi, correspondents for the dailies “Le Potentiel” and “Forum des As”, respectively, were released on 18 May 2001. Further to their request, the Matadi Court granted them a temporary release.
In a telephone conversation with JED on Thursday 24 May, Christian Bossombo Lokenge, the Matadi Appeals Court’s public prosecutor, explained that “the two journalists were granted a temporary release but the trial is continuing as planned.”
The two journalists were arrested on 30 March and 5 April, respectively, and locked up in Matadi’s central prison. A private company called Boulangerie Joseph (Joseph Bakery) launched legal proceedings against them for making “harmful accusations”. Lutumba and Mayimbi published articles in their respective publications in which they denounced the release for sale of wheat flour in Bas-Congo province that was of questionable quality.
Mayimbi is ill. He reportedly contracted tuberculosis.
