Former Justice Minister absent from graft trial

The trial of the DRC’s former Justice Minister Constant Mutamba continued on Friday in the absence of the defendant, reports africanews. Mutamba is accused of embezzling some $20m intended for the Uganda Victims’ Reparations Fund. He stormed out of the hearing at the Court of Cassation this morning, accusing authorities of violating his rights. He was also absent for Friday’s session when his co-defendant Chancard Bukolela took the stand. Bukolela was in charge of managing reparations awarded to the DRC by the International Court of Justice for abuses committed by Uganda. The two defendants are charged in connection with compensation payments funded by a $325m fund. Both deny the charges. Mutamba is already serving three years’ house arrest for other embezzlement offences.