Democracy Chronicles reports
Former Congolese MP Imprisoned Following Allegations of Nationality Fraud
Former DR Congo white parliamentarian found guilty of nationality fraud
A former opposition member of the Democratic Republic of Congo's parliament, born to European parents, has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming nationality, one of his lawyers said Saturday.
Yeah ? Maybe the courts might want to have a look at the definition of nationality and more particularly country of origin.
A court in Kinshasa sentenced Pierre-Jacques Chalupa, 64, who was naturalised Congolese in 1999 and was the only white parliamentarian elected in 2006, to four years in prison for fraud and use of forged documents giving him DRC nationality.
What a fucking joke. Nothing like an independent judiciary.
He has already served almost nine months and his trial ended in early August, his lawyer Jean-Marie Kabengela told AFP.
He said he had expected an acquittal as there was no reliable basis to the facts.
Chalupa was in born in Uvira, in Sud-Kivu in the east of the country, to a Greek mother and Portuguese father.
Although you don't see the candidates themselves here in Kinshasa, you see their faces everywhere you go. Banners and posters splashed across walls provide a new dress for the city.
Among the many candidates, Pierre Jacques Chalupa sticks out as the only white face.His mother was originally from Greece and came to DR Congo during the war in Europe. His father, however, was born here, in Boma, before even the Belgians came to the country.
As a result, says Mr Chalupa, he feels good. His slogan, 'Pourquoi pas' asks 'Why shouldn't he?'
It arose after he was subjected to some racist taunts several months ago.
Some Congolese, he says, would spot him in town and tell him to go back to his own country, that he wasn't needed in theirs. But, he says, he chose to ignore them and continue his campaign. Why not?
After all he was born here and his family's been here for a very long time. So why not, indeed?
And what does it say that since then, his compatriots have begun referring to all Europeans by the nickname, affectionate or otherwise, of "Pourquoi pas?"
From the same BBC article
President Kabila gave a short speech in East Africa's Kiswahili language, saying he had come home - his family comes from Katanga province.
Mr Kabila is not normally recognised as being a good public speaker but he seemed to relax in this speech, showing his human side.
For the first time, his new wife, accompanied him on a public engagement and was presented to his "Katangese brothers".
He also promised to repair the road from Lubumbashi to Kinshasa and made two rare public mentions of his father, ex-President Laurent Kabila.
"I promised to reunify the country. Done. I promise to hold elections. Done in five days. That's why I ask you to vote massively for me on Sunday."
Both lived in DR Congo and he spent his boyhood in Kinshasa. After studying architecture in Brussels he went returned and made a career in publicity.
So born in the Congo educated in Belgium at a tertiary level and returned to serve in the country of his birth.
Chalupa did not stand again in 2011 but backed Etienne Tshisekedi, leader of the main opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), who rejected the outcome of the election and declared himself president.
Chaqlupa was jailed after the poll and accused of fraud in the use of documents to acquire DRC nationality, a voter's card and a passport.
His lawyer said it was odd that a member of the public should be found guilty over documents delivered by the authorities when he was in no position to judge whether they were genuine or not.
This stinks. Racism stinks regardless of who practices it.
"It is a heavy and unjustified sentence which can only be justified by his political position," Kabengela said.
"It is a settling of political scores, we plan to appeal to the supreme court."
Why bother, cut a deal and run. Oh yeah all you Francophony Summit delegates why not apply a bit of pressure. In fact why don't you call Kabila for the incompetent bastard that he is.
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