The noose may closing around the Congolese electoral commission (CENI) president
Pastor Daniel Ngoy Mulunda Nyanga. Sources close to a non government organization (NGO) specialized in tracking stolen assets by corrupt dictators, government officials, and their associates, confided to AfroAmerica Network that several months ago an investigation was launched to track missing funds budgeted for 2011 Congolese parliamentary and presidential elections.
The elections were marred by corruption, irregularities, embezzlement, and fraud. The Congolese opposition and some in the international community have questioned the validity of the elections. Independent observers, international organizations and governments including Carter Center, the Catholic Church, Western Governments accused the Congolese Government of being responsible for most of the irregularities, fraud, embezzlement, and violences (see our article here) .
According to the sources, investigators from the international NGO made the shocking discovery while tracking movements of funds from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They tracked the funds to a bank account located in a tax haven. The account balance amounts to several million dollars. After investigating further, the NGO investigators found that these funds have a direct link with the controversial elections overseen by the Congolese Electoral Commission (CENI) in 2011.
Now the question is whether the millions of dollars were stolen from the elections budget or the money came from corruption and then laundered through the Congolese elections budget.
The sources told AfroAmerica Network that the NGO is close to solving the puzzle. AfroAmerica Network will continue to report on the matter in the upcoming days.
If the millions of dollars in the account belonging to Daniel Ngoy Mulunda turn out to be either from corruption or embezzlement, he may face prosecution either in Europe or the United States.
Both the Unites States and Europe have created very strict laws regarding corruption and money laundering by dictators and their cronies, especially from developing countries. The US has enacted and solidified the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA), which among others addresses bribery and corruption of foreign officials. Among those who recently faced the US justice under FCPA is the son of Equatorial Guinea President Obiang Nguema (see our article:The Dilemma of Dictatorts Part V: Focus on Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea here), despite his diplomatic immunity.
Daniel Ngoy Mulunda may be more vulnerable than Obiang Nguema Jr, as he does not enjoy immunity. However, he has an asset: his performance during the 2011 elections led to the contested victory of the incumbent President Joseph Kabila. Perhaps, President Joseph Kabila may come to his rescue or, as the sources with the NGO told AfroAmerica Network, he may just be a pawn in a web of corruption and embezzlement that may involve several high ranking Congolese officials within Joseph Kabila’s circle.
©2012 AfroAmerica Network.
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