Sud-Ubangi: an injunction to prosecute provincial deputies

Kinshasa, April 29^th, 2025 (CPA) – An injunction to prosecute has been sent to the public prosecutor’s office against the vice-president and nineteen (19) deputies of the provincial assembly of Sud-Ubangi in the north-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for ‘serious offences’, according to correspondence from the justice minister consulted on Monday. ‘I hereby enjoin you to initiate public proceedings against the vice-president of the Sud-Ubangi parliament of April 11^th, 2013 , In accordance with the provisions of Article 70 of Organic Law No. 13/011-8 of April 11^th, 2013 on the organisation, functioning and jurisdiction of the courts of the judicial system’, he instructed the Public Prosecutor’s Office to initiate public proceedings against the vice-president of the provincial assembly of Sud-Ubangi and certain deputies whose names are attached for serious offences against them. According to the source, on November 13^th, 2024, five provincial deputies reinstated by the Council of State after their invalidation by the Court of Appeal of Sud-Ubangi, have been dismissed by the provincial assembly of Sud-Ubangi through an incidental motion in violation of articles 110 and 115 of the Constitution.   The Minister in charge of Justice has explained in her letter that « surprisingly and against all expectations, the deputies did not hesitate to insert other items on the agenda by way of an incidental motion in violation of the provisions of the rules of procedure ».  ‘This criminal behaviour has unfortunately led to the sham election of a new President. And this despite the point of order rose by a member of the said assembly’, he has added. In view of these facts, he also instructed the public prosecutor’s office to prosecute the accused for acts of rebellion, infringement of the guaranteed rights of individuals, disturbance of the peace, corruption and threats.ACP/