Kinshasa, July 12th, 2026 (CPA) . – The Court of Auditors of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced that it had placed on its July 7th hearing docket a case brought by the Public Prosecutor against several public officials for de facto management of public funds, an offence falling under the Court’s exclusive jurisdiction, CPA learnt Sunday from a judicial source. The hearing, held on Tuesday, July 7th, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., pitted « the Public Prosecutor against Mr. Moussa Kumbi Moïse, Governor of Maniema Province, Mr. Ali Kiamasa, Provincial Minister of Finance of Maniema, and Mr. Kingalo Masingabo Bienvenu, delegated coordinator for Maniema, all three prosecuted for de facto management, » said Donat Kamwena Kalala, the Court of Auditors’ communications magistrate. He explained that de facto management applies to any person who intervenes in the handling or administration of public funds without having the legal status of a public accountant. « These are individuals who interfere in the management of public accounts without being legally authorized to do so. Whenever they handle public funds or circumvent public accountants, they expose themselves to prosecution before the Court of Auditors, » he said. The magistrate further recalled that provincial governors, national ministers and provincial ministers are political authorizing officers who, as a rule, cannot be prosecuted before the Court of Auditors for management faults. « However, when a political authorizing officer directly manages public funds or causes them to be managed outside the public accounting system, he becomes a de facto public accountant and loses that protection, making him liable for prosecution on charges of de facto management, » he explained. Speaking about the scope of the proceedings, Mr. Kamwena disclosed that several other cases are currently under investigation as part of the Court of Auditors’ action program, including cases involving Kongo Central and South-Ubangi provinces, whose alleged perpetrators will also stand trial. « As part of the Court of Auditors’ action program, we have launched a series of proceedings against de facto managers of public funds. Beyond the cases already mentioned, other governors are currently under investigation by the Court and will be tried in the near future. For example, in Kongo Central Province, Governor Grâce Bilolo, Provincial Finance Minister Luyeye Ndokolo, and Mr. Ndungi Germain, the province’s delegated authorizing officer, are also facing prosecution, » the Court’s communications officer stated.
He added: « For South-Ubangi Province, the case involving Governor Makonga Lobo Michée is likewise under investigation before the Court of Auditors. »