“A complaint is not proof of guilt,” Guillaume Ngefa says of searches in Belgium

DR Congo Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa questioned the circumstances of searches in Belgium targeting members of President Félix Tshisekedi’s entourage. Speaking at a press briefing with government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, he called for respect for the presumption of innocence, the rights of the defense and the guarantees of a fair process. Ngefa criticized media coverage and leaks, saying a complaint is not proof of guilt and people should not be publicly condemned before the courts have acted. He said he had discussed these concerns with his Belgian counterparts, while leaving the matter to the competent Belgian authorities under Belgian law.