Three Police Officers Sentenced for Inciting Theft in Viral Song Case

Kinshasa, January 22, 2026 - Three police officers, Sindani, Kabamba, and Kiadi, authors of the controversial song “Zua ye tshombo tika ye akende” (“Take his phone and let him go”), have been sentenced to three years of hard labor by the Kinshasa/Ndjili Garrison Military Court. The officers were also ordered to pay court costs of 200,000 Congolese francs. The sentencing follows a summary hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in which the court examined the conduct of five officers from the Congolese National Police (PNC) implicated in the case. The court found Sindani, Kabamba, and Kiadi guilty of insubordination, citing the viral video as evidence. In the footage, several visibly intoxicated officers performed the song in unison outside a Kinshasa police station, prompting national outrage. One officer, Kasongo, was acquitted of failing to report a crime due to insufficient evidence, while another, Tuzolana, received a suspended sentence of twelve months of hard labor for the same offense. According to observers on social media, the song highlighted what many perceive as lax recruitment and discipline practices within the police force, raising concerns over officers who are entrusted with public protection but sometimes act as perpetrators of abuse. The ruling serves as a rare instance of accountability for police misconduct in the DRC, sending a signal that public incitement to criminal acts by law enforcement personnel will not be tolerated.