About fifteen people pass in front of the military court of the province of Ituri from this Monday, April 25. Military justice prosecutes them for sale of munitions of war, participation in an insurrectionary movement and illegal possession of weapons of war.
With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Kamanda Wa Kamanda Muzembe
This is the first trial in Ituri concerning armed groups and their accomplices since the establishment of the state of emergency nearly a year ago. It opens when talks are underway between the power of Kinshasa and rebel groups in Nairobi.
Eight soldiers including a lieutenant-colonel and three majors, as well as seven civilians, four women and three men are being prosecuted. This contingent of defendants, some of whom have been in detention for several months, and others only recently, will have to explain themselves during a public trial in the space called the official tribune of Bunia, the capital of Ituri.
Caution
Most of these suspects were arrested during curfews and other checks held across the province. However, others were arrested after denunciation by the population, explains Lieutenant Ngongo, spokesman for the army in Ituri.
Through this public trial, he continues, the authorities want to warn all those who collaborate with the armed groups that maintain insecurity in this part of the country.
Another trial took place almost a week ago in Bunia. Two FARDC lieutenant colonels and a major were sentenced to two years in prison for having misappropriated funds allocated to troops engaged in field operations.