In a landmark ruling, the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced its former Prime Minister, Augustin Matata Ponyo, to ten years of forced labor following a conviction for corruption. The Congolese Constitutional Court found Matata guilty of embezzling approximately $245 million in public funds, a judgment delivered on Tuesday that also implicated Deogratias Mutombo, the former governor of the DR Congo’s central bank. This case, which centers around the alleged misuse of funds intended for agricultural development, has sent ripples through the Congolese political landscape, raising questions about accountability and the fight against corruption.

The charges against Augustin Matata Ponyo stem from the disappearance of a substantial amount of public funds, specifically around $245 million. These funds were, in part, earmarked for the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park, an ambitious agricultural project intended to address the country’s persistent food shortages. The former governor of the DR Congo’s central bank, Deogratias Mutombo, was also convicted in connection with the embezzlement.

The Bukanga-Lonzo park was envisioned as a transformative project. According to Reuters, it represented one of Africa’s largest ever agricultural investments, designed to create 22,000 jobs. More importantly, the park was meant to provide a crucial lifeline to the 28 million people in the DR Congo facing acute food insecurity, a situation exacerbated by decades of conflict stemming from the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The African Development Bank Group had also invested in the project.

Augustin Matata Ponyo served as the prime minister of the DRC from 2012 to 2016. Currently, he heads the Leadership and Governance for Development party (LGD). Before his premiership, Matata served as the finance minister, during which time he received praise from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for his role in stabilizing the country’s economy.

In response to the ruling, Matata’s lawyer told Reuters that the conviction was unfair and politically motivated. Augustin Matata Ponyo himself has consistently denied the charges. He had even campaigned against current DRC President Felix Tshisekedi in the 2023 election before withdrawing his candidacy. Deogratias Mutombo has not yet issued a public statement.

Forced labor, while controversial, is legal in the DR Congo when mandated by a court as a criminal penalty, according to the US State Department. In addition to the decade of forced labor, both Matata and Mutombo have been barred from public service for five years after their terms, AFP reports.

The conviction of former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo on corruption charges, resulting in a decade of forced labor, marks a significant moment for the Democratic Republic of Congo. The case, centered around the embezzlement of funds intended for vital agricultural development, highlights the challenges the nation faces in combating corruption and ensuring food security. While Matata denies the charges, the ruling underscores the Congolese government’s commitment to addressing corruption, even at the highest levels. The fallout from this case will likely continue to reverberate throughout the DRC’s political landscape.