The back and forth exchanges between plaintiffs and defendants in court are over – next week, the accused Vital Kamerhe and Co will know their fate.
The judgment day was set at the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Kinshasa / Gombe on Saturday (20 June).
Vital Kamerhe appeared in front of the bar on Thursday evening as part of the emergency program for oral arguments in the trial about handling funds for the prefabricated houses programme.
Lawyers for Vital Kamerhe and Jamaal Samih each had to raise an unconstitutional objection. This was also the last time the accused were heard and took the chance to argue their innocence.
The prosecutor called for Kamerhe to be sentenced to 20 years of forced labour for embezzlement and 15 years for corruption. He also requires President Félix Tshisekedi ‘s head of cabinet to be ruled ineligible for a 10-year term.
Kamerhe looked very resigned and low key- one would notice he’s been processing this case in his mind that he might lose.
“I told my wife that mass is said. As a statesman, I had prepared myself. When my wife arrived this morning, we prayed and asked her to psychologically prepare the children, ”he said.
He believes that the alleged facts about his family are false: “It is as if we want to destroy the whole family.”
Regarding, his wife’s property. He made some revelations: “My wife at a building valued at $ 4 million on Uganda Avenue. She had another building that she just sold. ”
For his part, the Lebanese Samih Jammal, the other defendant in this trial, claimed his innocence and asked to be acquitted. Like Jeannot Muhima, chief of the presidency’s import-export service.
“Even if I am convicted, I will continue working for the President of the Republic. People are against this project. I am innocent; I am not a politician. I am a trader. My children were born here. I can even go into debt to continue the work, “Samih Jammal said.
