Kinshasa, March 9th, 2026 (CPA).- An organization has alerted public opinion to the paralysis of the Shabunda Magistrates’ Court, a territory in the province of Sud Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), due to the prolonged absence of the presiding judge and his team, according to a statement consulted on Monday by CPA.
‘The Bloc Citoyen Amani (BCA) alerts both national and international public opinion to the paralysis of the Shabunda magistrate’s court for more than ten months.
The absence of the presiding judge and his team, as well as the isolated presence of the prosecutor, have plunged the local justice system into an institutional vacuum,’ it is said. According to this citizens’ organization, this failure has led to the uncontrolled release of prisoners from Shabunda Central Prison, in a context of panic caused by the capture of the city of Bukavu by elements of the M23-AFC.
The BCA has pointed out that magistrates are required to reside within their jurisdiction and perform their duties without interruption, considering that the current situation constitutes a violation of the law.
‘The institutional vacuum observed within the Shabunda Magistrates’ Court constitutes a clear violation of the obligation on magistrates to reside within their jurisdiction and to perform their duties effectively,’ the organization has lamented. In response to this situation, the Bloc Citoyen Amani has called on the High Council of the Judiciary to initiate disciplinary proceedings against absent magistrates and replace them, while urging the Ministry in charge of Justice to urgently assign new magistrates to this jurisdiction.
‘This situation is a major warning sign, as it compromises justice, security and the fundamental rights of citizens in the Shabunda territory,’ she has warned, calling on the authorities and partners to take immediate action to restore order and the normal functioning of justice in this part of Sud Kivu.
ACP/