One journalist was arrested more than a week ago in Kinshasa as his newspaper was investigating some mining deals in DRC.
Excerpt of an official statement published by the NGO Journalist in danger:
MAURICE KAYOMBO, a journalist for “LES GRANDS ENJEUX”, a monthly investigation and analysis magazine that is printed in South Africa and distributed in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, has been kept for a week in the prosecutor’s cells close to the Kinshasa/Gombe Court. According to official sources, the journalist is accused of “blackmail and denigration of an authority” following a complaint lodged by Mr. Christophe KANINIO, Secretary General of the Ministry for Mines. He was arrested by judicial inspectors on Wednesday, 9 January 2008, in the offices of the General Secretary for Mines where he had been called to visit in order to check some information in his possession.
Clearly, there are certain affairs that one shouldn’t approach… To go and poke your nose into mining contracts can indeed be very risky. At best, you end up in prison but at worst, you can be offered a trip to the cemetery. This is not very encouraging for those which choose the profession to inform others…
In memory of:
Serge Maheshe
Franck Ngyke
Bapuwa Mwamba
info[at]congoblog[dot]net
