2023-07-05 14:34:14
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Justice
Photo d’illustration
The Commercial Court of Goma sentenced, on Tuesday June 27, 2023, Giannesini Stéphane of French nationality to 5 years of penal servitude and will have to pay a fine of 480,000 US dollars.
This sentence was pronounced at the end of a judicial procedure in flagrance after a long time of pleading and deliberation of the members who make up the chamber of the commercial court.
Giannesini Stéphane is found guilty in particular of customs fraud, money laundering, the illicit purchase of mineral substances as well as the illicit possession of mineral substances.
The convict promised to appeal.
“The judge did not rule on the quality of the contract I had with the sellers, I did not know him, I will actually appeal,” said Giannesini Stéphane.
Erasme Mayoka, coordinator of the National Commission for the Fight against Mining Fraud, maintains that “this condemnation is a strong signal for anyone who engages in the illicit trade of mineral substances in the DRC”.
Giannesini Stéphane was apprehended at Goma International Airport on Sunday, June 25, with two fake gold bars in his possession, he had testified to having been defrauded by a group with which he had a purchase agreement of 15 kg of gold whose first payment was 80,000 US dollars.
The general prosecutor’s office of Goma seized, had opened the file to the commercial court for investigation in flagrante
Yvonne Kapinga
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