Former DRC Justice Minister Constant Mutamba Walks Out of Cassation Court Over Procedural Irregularities

On 27 July 2026, former DRC Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals Constant Mutamba left the hearing of the Cour de cassation, protesting what he described as serious procedural irregularities. Mutamba said his summons contained false mentions inserted by court clerks and criticized the Gombe High Court's refusal to register his complaint against a clerk. He also claimed his right to raise procedural exceptions was denied, stating he would rather "drink hemlock like Socrates" than participate in a flawed process.

The episode relates to the FRIVAO case, a fund intended to compensate victims of illicit activities linked to Uganda in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The court has not yet issued a public ruling on Mutamba's allegations, and the proceedings remain under close public scrutiny.