‘Mafia’ bank rapped over DRC graft scandal

The International Gabonese and French Bank (BGFIBank) has been fingered for allegedly playing a central role in allowing former DRC leader Joseph Kabila’s family and close associates to launder $243m in public and suspect funds. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, French investigative media outlet Mediapart and the Platform to Protect Whistle-blowers in Africa gained access to more than 3m leaked documents from BGFIBank. Nineteen media outlets and five NGOs co-ordinated by the European Investigative Collaborations spent six months sifting through the documents. The leak, dubbed Congo Hold-up, details how state funds transited BGFI, destined for companies owned by Kabila’s relatives and closest allies. The Continent can reveal that on one occasion, $6m was withdrawn – in cash – from an account linked to the Kabila family ‘For me, BGFI is a mafia bank,’ said Jules Alingete, the head of the inspectorate general of finance, who was appointed last year by Kabila’s successor, President Félix Tshisekedi. ‘It is unacceptable what happened.’ The Mail & Guardian reports that the consortium made repeated and sustained attempts over the past month to obtain comment from senior executives at BGFIBank, including from the holding company’s headquarters in Libreville, and its offices in Kinshasa and Paris. The bank did not respond in any way.