The Military Court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has once again postponed the request filed by Salomon Kalonda Della’s lawyers to stay the trial and preliminary release of opposition candidate Moïse Katumbi’s spokesperson.
Kalonda Della has fell critically-ill while in the authorities’ custody and was later transfered to hospital for proper medical attention prompting the legal defence to request for the postponement of the trial for a period of three months.
The legal defense also request for the provisional release of Kalonda Della on medical grounds after doctors declared him not medically fit to stand trial.
However, the Public Prosecutor has in turn requested for the trial to be continued and held at the medical facility where Kalonda Della has been admitted.
The Military Court had been scheduled to pass their decision over the filed requests on Friday 10th November but the hearing could not take place as the defendant was not regularly notified hence the postponement to Wednesday, 15th November.
Kalonda Della was arrested on 30th May at N’djili International Airport in Kinshasa and has been accused is accused of conspiring with M23 rebels to overthrow President Fèlix Tshisekedi as well as keeping contact with officials from Rwandan army with the aim of militarily attacking the DR Congo.
Since his arrest, his lawyers have contested the accusations leveled against Kalonda and questioned the legality of the procedure that led to his detention.
Kalonda, an ally and special advisor to popular opposition candidate Moïse Katumbi, described this legal procedure as a “trial of shame” and his defense maintains that it is a political plot aimed at eliminating a political opponent.
