A former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Augustin Matata Ponyo, has been sentenced to ten years of forced labour for corruption.
The Congolese Constitutional Court found Matata guilty of embezzling about $245 million of public funds alongside Deogratias Mutombo, the former governor of the DRC’s central bank.
According to court reports, the funds were siphoned from the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park project—one of Africa’s largest agricultural investments—meant to ease the country’s chronic food shortages and create 22,000 jobs.
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Matata, who led the DRC between 2012 and 2016 and previously served as finance minister, has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer told Reuters the judgment was politically motivated. Mutombo was sentenced to five years of forced labour and has yet to comment.
Both men have also been barred from public service for five years following the completion of their sentences.
Forced labour remains legal in the DRC as a criminal penalty, as noted by the U.S. State Department.
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