Radio Okapi, the United Nations media in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reports in this article that the lawyers at the garrison military court for the province of South Ubangi have asked the judicial authorities to establish a new military court for each of the country’s new provinces. Me Murphy Mopila, a lawyer defending nearly 40 soldiers convicted by the garrison military court, made the request on Friday, 27 August."We need a garrison court in South Ubangi so that if a detainee is sentenced to what is called an emergency, the military justice of Gemena can arrange for the accused to go to Mbandaka and defend himself. But when they have appealed, the cases linger for 3 years, 5 years. It is impossible," complains Me Murphy Mopila.
He indicated that his request could put an end to the injustice which several military detainees have suffered for years.
"The problem is that there are so many convicts at the level of the military tribunal of garrison of South Ubangi, these convicts have appealed, but they are still in prison, which violates their most legitimate right," he adds.
These lawyers also want the convicts who have appealed to be allowed to go to the city of Mbandaka to defend their cases.
The DRC has been divided into 26 provinces since 2015, while before that there were eleven. One of the objectives of that reform was to reduce the risk of secession in some regions.
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