President Félix Tshisekedi
22 December 2020
The head of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) new anti-corruption agency (APLC), Ghislain Kikangalao, was arrested on Friday after his Organisation was accused of taking $30,000 from the Congolese affiliate of a Nigerian bank. He was placed in preventative detention to facilitate investigation.
The APLC was created by presidential decree in March to track down financial crime in a country where corruption is endemic.
The APLC had accused Access Bank of money laundering and financing terrorism and detained Arinze Osuashala, the head of the bank and required him to place a deposit of $50,000 and took away his passport. Finally APLC took $30,000 and released Arinze Osuashala. The APLC confirmed that it had taken the $30,000 as bail and held on to the bank official’s passport.
The prosecutor called three people for enquiry and only Ghislain Kikangalao responded. The other two, who appeared in the video collecting the $30,000, is said to have fled. Although their lawyer said that they were on mission to Kongo Central province which borders Kinshasa. Long before appearing at the prosecutor’s office, Ghislain Kikangalao spoke in a television program that the two did not have the mandate to collect $30,000 or $50,000 from the bank manager.
The President’s office announced that if the accusations are true then the accused should be punished under the law.
Félix Tshisekedi came to power on 25 January 2019 following a flawed election. He made significant political and economic developments the country. The president’s chief of staff, Vital Kamerhe, was convicted on corruption charges.
AFP News reported.
