Maguy Mata Lumungu, the owner of Chez Momo Hostels in Kinshasa where Christian Malanga was stayed prior to his failed coup d’etat attempt on May 19, has submitted a request for his provisional release from detention.
During the continued hearing of the case on Friday, Maguy Mata Lumungu’s lawyers claimed that Christian Malanga had checked into the hostels using false identity.
Lumungu’s lawyer has submitted that the continued detention of their client is irregular and have since asked for his provisional release.
“This situation is contrary to the law and I plead with the court to grant my client provisional release, we declare your jurisdiction incompetent because my client is a civilian and has nothing to do with the army, we also request the court to return all the properties that have been confiscated” Lumungu’s lawyers said.
Over 50 defendants are being trialed in the coup attempt case with charges that include terrorism, illegal possession of weapons, attempted murder, criminal association and financing of a terrorist cartel.
Following the lifting of the moratorium on the death sentence by the Congolese government earlier this year, the aforementioned offences are punishable by death penalty.
