Central Kasai: 37 convictions handed down against perpetrators of sexual violence in Kananga

Kananga, October 27^th, 2025 (CPA),– Thirty-seven (37) sentences ranging from 1 to 7 years’ imprisonment were handed down on Monday against perpetrators of sexual violence in Kananga, the capital of Kasai Central province in the centre of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), during a mobile court hearing. ‘These sentences mainly concerned sexual violence offences. The 37 sentences handed down were commensurate with the seriousness of the charges against the defendants,’ said Presiding Judge Bope Buana of the Kananga High Court sitting in Tshikaji.  He added, however, that twelve (12) acquittals were handed down at the same time. The court also declared itself incompetent in one case due to the minor age of the defendant. Judge Buana welcomed the large turnout of residents from the town of Tshikaji, 18 kilometers from the city center, given the educational nature of these public hearings. In his view, there was considerable interest in upholding the country’s laws in order to protect against common law offences. He also welcomed the contribution of international partners in organizing these mobile courts, which are designed to combat impunity for violence against women and girls and gender-based violence (GBV).