Dieudonné Kamuleta Badibanga, the president of the Constitutional Court, responded to Vital Kamerhe, the president of the National Assembly, regarding the question of the immunities of the national deputy, Augustin Matata Ponyo. In a letter dated May 2, 2025, the president of the highest court in the country reiterated the provisions of Article 107, paragraph 2 of the constitution. He also explained that the case he is currently examining does not correspond to the constitutional hypothesis. According to this senior magistrate, the case of the aforementioned Article 107 concerns the moment when no prosecution has been initiated against a parliamentarian, whereas in the case of Matata Ponyo, he has already been facing charges since 2022, appeared before the Court, and raised exceptions that have been joined to the substance of the case. He emphasized that at this stage, his jurisdiction can only make a decision, before calling for respect for the independence of judges. Matata Ponyo is being prosecuted for embezzlement of public funds with the former Director of the Central Bank, Deogratias Mutombo, and businessman Christophe Grobler, in the Bukanga Lonzo case. After appearing on April 14, he decided to stop appearing before the Constitutional Court, denouncing the violation of his immunities and a political trial. On April 23, all the defendants were tried in absentia. The Attorney General requested their convictions to 20 years of hard labor. The decision is expected on May 14, 2025. It is worth noting that in a previous case, the Court had declared itself incompetent to judge a former Prime Minister. The case had been sent to the Court of Cassation, which then referred it back to the Constitutional Court. The latter made a jurisprudential U-turn by declaring itself competent.
Badibanga, the big boss of the Constitutional Court, had some things to say to Kamerhe, the head honcho of the National Assembly, about Matata Ponyo’s legal situation. Basically, Badibanga was like, “Hey, bro, according to Article 107, Matata Ponyo’s case doesn’t fit the bill for immunity. The dude has been in hot water since 2022, so we gotta deal with it.” Matata Ponyo, Mutombo, and Grobler are in trouble for allegedly stealing public moolah in the Bukanga Lonzo scandal. Matata Ponyo was like, “I’m outta here, this is a witch hunt!” and stopped showing up to court. The gang was tried without them, and the prosecutor wants them locked up for two decades. The verdict is coming in May 2025. Oh, and remember that time the Court was like, “Nah, we can’t touch this ex-PM,” then changed their minds? Yeah, good times.
In conclusion, the legal saga involving Matata Ponyo, Mutombo, and Grobler continues to unfold, with the Constitutional Court grappling with the issue of parliamentary immunities. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the fight against corruption and the rule of law in the country. As the judicial process moves forward, it remains to be seen how the Court will ultimately rule on the matter. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
