Key Facts

• Augustin Matata Ponyo served as the prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2012 to 2016.
• He was sentenced to ten years of forced labor for embezzling around $245 million of public funds.
• Deogratias Mutombo, former central bank governor, was sentenced to five years of forced labor in the same case.
• The funds were meant for a major agricultural project to address food shortages in the country.
• Both Matata and Mutombo are banned from public service for five years after their sentences end.
• Matata has denied the charges and claims the ruling is politically motivated.
• The case began after the Congolese Inspectorate General of Finance reported the missing funds in 2020.
• The agricultural project was expected to create 22,000 jobs and help address food insecurity affecting 28 million people in the country.