DR Congo court remands president's chief of staff

KIGALI, Rwanda 

A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo denied bail to the president's chief of staff, remanding him for 15 days.

Vital Kamerhe was arrested Wednesday and faces embezzlement charges of up to $57 million meant for infrastructure and medicine, according to the prosecution.

He was detained at Makala prison in the capital, Kinshasa, after being interrogated by prosecutors.

Kamerhe allegedly managed a $304 million infrastructure project, $47 million of which was meant for public housing under what was dubbed the 100-day Presidential Program, while $10 million was to purchase medicine.

He is accused of diverting the money to fake companies.

“The court is convinced that there is an absolute necessity to place the suspect in preventive detention as investigations continue in the present case since there are serious indications of guilt against him,” said the ruling issued by the Matete Peace Tribunal.

“The remand order is valid for 15 days, including the day it is issued. At the end of this period, pre-trial detention may be extended for one month and so on as long as it is in public interest.”

Kamerhe denies the charges and contends that monitoring the allocation of the funds was not his responsibility.

Kamerhe, who belongs to the Union for Congolese Nation Party, reached a deal to support President Felix Tshisekedi in the 2018 presidential election.

The duo promised to stem corruption during their campaigns.