Democratic Republic of Congo’s honorary former President Joseph Kabila’s ally Papy Pungu Lwamba has finally been granted provisional release from prison after months in detention for unknown charges.
The former Youth League President of Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) had been secretly detained at the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) headquarters for four months, before being transferred to Makala Central Prison last Wednesday.
On Saturday, Papy Pungu’s lawyer Maître Dave Tishangand confirmed the provisional release of his client.
“We argued on this issue 3 or 4 days ago. And today the order was made effective,” said Dave Tishangand.
Tishangand described the arrest of the former Deputy Minister of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity as an attack against his personality.
A loyalist to former President Joseph Kabila, Papy Pungu was arrested on December 27 in Haut-Katanga Province while on his way to Zambia for his vacation before being transferred to Kinshasa with the state having not indicated reasons for his arrest.
A number of Joseph Kabila’s allies have been subject to summons and arrests by the Fèlix Tshisekedi regime who claim that the former President has raised arms against the ruling government.
