Congo’s Justice Minister, Constant Mutamba, resigned Wednesday following an investigation into alleged embezzlement of \$19 million.
Authorities accuse Mutamba of diverting funds meant for building a prison in Kisangani, a city in northern Congo.
In a public statement, the 37-year-old dismissed the allegations, claiming they were orchestrated by Rwanda’s government.
“After surviving multiple poisoning attempts and plots on my life, mafia networks succeeded in tarnishing my name,” Mutamba said.
His resignation comes after months of political turbulence in a nation long plagued by corruption and economic hardship.
Appointed in 2024, Mutamba previously ran for president in 2023 and promoted himself as an anti-corruption champion.
Earlier this year, he stirred controversy by advocating the death penalty for journalists reporting on Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
“Those covering the Rwandan army and M23 rebels will face the full force of the law,” he declared on social media platform X.
Congo, home to over 100 million people, sits atop vast mineral wealth yet battles deep-rooted poverty and hunger.
Mutamba’s fall underscores the enduring challenges of governance and justice in one of Africa’s richest yet most troubled nations.
