Kinshasa, August 13th, 2026 (CPA).- A two-week adjournment has been requested on Thursday by the Military Prosecutor General’s Office to prepare its reply to the defence’s consolidated submissions in the case of General Christian Tshiwewe and others, during a High Court hearing held in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), “We request a two-week extension, Mr President. We request a delay necessary to examine the various submissions effectively, in order to assess their scope and prepare an appropriate, forceful and damning response,” has declared Lieutenant-General Lucien Rene Likulia, Head of the Military Prosecutor’s Office.
The High Military Court has, during this hearing, continued to hear the closing submissions from the lawyers representing Brigadier General John Kabila, Brigadier General John Sangwa and Colonel Guy Mukombozi. The Brigadier General Kabila’s lawyer, in particular, has in particular challenged the standing of the officers from the National Cyber Defence Council (CNC) who had investigated and interviewed his client.
“People who lack the necessary authority are going to investigate and question my client. We will emphasise the lack of authority on the part of the CNC’s investigating officer and the absence of substantive evidence. Detaining someone for 60 days could amount to indefinite police custody. The actions taken by the CNC’s officers must be excluded from the debate,” has argued Mr Jeannot Bukoko. Mr Peter Ngomo, one of General Kabila’s lawyers, has, for his part, asked the High Military Court to order the return of the items seized by the CNC, in particular the mobile phones. ‘Mr First President, you must order that everything seized by the CNC be returned, because the actions they have taken are unlawful. You must deal with all these people; otherwise, you will be applying double standards. There is no need to wait until the end of the trial; right here and now, you have the power to do so,’ he has argued. For his part, Brigadier General Sangwa’s lawyer has condemned the circumstances of his client’s arrest and criticised the actions of the CNC.
“This is not an arrest; it is a kidnapping. Generals have been picked up at 2 am, hooded and taken to an unknown destination. These are people drunk with power who are acting without a warrant and without authority. It is a judicial abomination. Even officers holding high ranks in the national hierarchy have been rounded up without due process and handed over to a self-appointed investigating officer,” has declared Ms Christelle Munesha. The Colonel Mukombozi’s lawyer, for his part, has asked the High Court to refer his client to his proper court, namely the Military Court.
Colonel Pathy Sangwa did not submit his sole written submission. Furthermore, at the start of the hearing, Lieutenant-General Padiri Bulendwa was sworn in as an associate judge, replacing Chief Superintendent Alonga Boni, before taking his seat on the bench. “The hearing is adjourned and will resume on August 27th,” has concluded Lieutenant-General Mutombo, Chief Justice of the High Military Court. Army General Christian Tshiwewe and his co-defendants are on trial on charges including conspiracy, treason, glorification of terrorism, spreading false rumours, breach of orders, desertion abroad, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, and inciting military personnel to commit acts contrary to duty and discipline.