Bunia, June 22nd, 2025 (CPA) . The Military Court of Ituri, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, sentenced an intelligence officer and a corporal to five years in prison for violating orders and escaping prisoners, before acquitting another during a hearing on Saturday.
« The Court sentences the defendant Colonel Jeef Buchukundi Matembela, director of military intelligence for the 32nd military region, with admission of mitigating circumstances related to his first offence and service to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), to five (5) years’ imprisonment for violating orders, » said Colonel Magistrate Kelly Dienga Akelele, “first president of the Ituri Military Court He also sentenced the same officer to pay 500,000 Congolese francs in court costs within six (6) days, failing which he will be subject to six (6) months’ imprisonment. Furthermore, the Court also sentenced the defendant, Corporal Jean Badinebwila Kabongo, to five (5) years of penal servitude for being found guilty of helping two (2) insurgent detainees from an armed group to escape, as well as to pay court costs of 300,000 Congolese francs within seven (7) days, failing which he will be subject to six (6) months’ imprisonment, » added military magistrate Colonel Kelly Dianga.
However, the same court acquitted Corporal Jean Kafuka Mobutu, who was cited in the same case, the presiding judge added. In addition, in a second ruling, the court sentenced Major Isaac Habimana Muvunyi to 18 months’ imprisonment for the involuntary loss of a weapon, with the admission of significant mitigating circumstances relating to his cooperation with the justice system, his 47 years of service to the army and his first-time offence.