2023-07-20 13:28:11
PARIS – Investigative media Mediapart and Investigate Europe have relied on Congo Hold-up documents to publish articles showing that Perenco transferred, between 2014 and 2015, nearly $1.3 million to companies belonging to former President Joseph Kabila’s inner circle, the Platform for the Protection of Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) said today.
Congo Hold-up is the largest leak of sensitive documents from the African continent resulting in major investigations and publications since November 2021. The documents demonstrate how the private bank BGFIBank was used to embezzle public funds and natural resources from the Democratic Republic of Congo, mainly for the enrichment of the entourage of former President Joseph Kabila.
Mediapart and Investigate Europe articles published today show that Perenco made fourteen transfers between 2014 and 2015 to companies close to Joseph Kabila, including Etablissement Kuntuala, an opaque company owned by the Wan family whose director is the patriarch, Alain Wan, and his mother, then aged 78, the beneficial owner. A Belgian-Congolese citizen, Alain Wan, and his childhood friend, the Belgian Marc Piedboeuf, are part of Joseph Kabila’s first business circle. According to the two media, Perenco denied having paid funds to this company.
The two businessmen also have interests in the company MW Afritec which received, between 2014 and 2015, transfers from the local subsidiary of Perenco. The French company confirmed having maintained a commercial relationship with MW Afritec, but until 2010.
Perenco is currently targeted by several investigations in France by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office for corruption of public officials.
PPLAAF is a non-governmental organization created in 2017 to protect whistleblowers, as well as to defend them and initiate strategic litigation on their behalf when their disclosures concern the general interest of African citizens.
Source: PPLAAF press release, 20.07.23
www.pplaaf.org
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