Kabila taking legal action against a newspaper over money laundering syndicate allegations

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) former President, Joseph Kabila, is taking legal action against a Nambian newspaper after it alledged he was connected to a money laundering syndicate.

The Nambian claims that Kabila has strong ties to a company which laundered more than half a billion rand from the DRC’s treasury to a Nambian fishing firm.

Kabila has denied any association with the allegations.

The Nambian published a story earlier this year linking former President Joseph Kabila, his relatives and close associates to a tax-exempt company, Egal.

It alledges that Egal paid monies to fishing companies under the guise of importing cheap healthy food for the DRC.

The paper’s investigation claims very little product was actually delivered to the country from Windhoek.

Kabila has now instructed lawyers in Johannesburg and the Nambian capital to file defamation lawsuits against the journalist and the publication.

He claims the article was malicious and injured his dignity. Local advocate Dali Mpofu has been appointed to lead the case.