The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sentenced former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo to 10 years of forced labor for embezzling approximately $245 million in public funds.
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Deogratias Mutombo who is a former governor of the DRC’s central bank, was also convicted in the same case, receiving a five-year sentence of forced labor.
The convictions arise from the misappropriation of funds allocated to the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park, a high-profile agricultural project launched to combat the DRC’s chronic food insecurity.
The project which was supposed to be Africa’s largest agricultural investment was intended to create 22,000 jobs and boost local food production but collapsed due to allegations of widespread corruption.
Matata’s legal team denounced the ruling as “unfair and politically motivated,” maintaining his innocence, according to Reuters.
Matata served as prime minister from 2012 to 2016 and was previously praised by the International Monetary Fund for economic reforms as finance minister.
The case which has been under investigation since 2020, was initiated by a report from the DRC’s Inspectorate General of Finance detailing significant financial mismanagement tied to the agro-industrial park.
In addition to their sentences, both Matata and Mutombo have been banned from holding public office for five years following their terms.
