The summary proceedings against three magistrates at the Haut-Katanga Court of Appeal

Kinshasa, February 8, 2026 - The opening of the hearings on Friday, January 23, was already noteworthy due to the presence of the President of the Court of Cassation and the First Advocate General of the Republic, who traveled from Kinshasa specifically to attend the proceedings.

The Court began its investigation by identifying the four defendants. Each was then called to the stand to give their account of the events. The defense team challenged the procedure, arguing a lack of evidence in a criminal case being tried under summary proceedings.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, the prosecution requested three years of imprisonment for the magistrates and two years for the merchant. The hearing was adjourned until Monday.

Background

In July 2025, in Kalemie, a woman filed a complaint against merchant Joseph Kafwimbi Kiwele for attempted rape. The Kalemie High Court acquitted the accused. Dissatisfied, the plaintiff appealed to the Tanganyika Court of Appeal.

On December 19, this court sentenced merchant Patrick Kafwimbi to six months of house arrest and a fine of $10,000. Some magistrates deemed this sentence insufficient given the seriousness of the alleged offenses.