These three individuals are suspected of having overcharged for a drinking water drilling project that was to be built in various localities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are therefore suspected of embezzling public funds and corruption in the awarding and execution of this contract.

Nicolas Kazadi was even offloaded from a flight Saturday night while he was expected by the delegation of President Félix Tshisekedi in Berlin, and in Paris, according to airport sources. His diplomatic passport was even seized.

The lucrative contract dates back to 2021, when Guy Mikulu was minister of Rural Development. But the start of the payment by emergency procedure was carried out two years later, when Nicolas Kazadi and François Rubota held the positions of Minister of Finance and Rural Development, respectively.

This contract stipulates that the state should benefit from more than 1,300 water drilling stations at almost $300,000 each. That is much more expensive than the $20,000 to $30,000 mentioned by civil society organizations that are crying foul over the overbilling.

For his part, Nicolas Kazadi still does not see what he has done "wrong" in this payment of funds carried out under emergency mode in a project that dated back to 2021.

"A few weeks ago, the Minister of Rural Development (Editor’s note: François Rubota) presented the project in a cabinet meeting, saying that everything was going well, especially with the stations in Kisangani. He asked that we continue the project. I agreed, but I will not pay until the $71 million are fully used up. This is what I was asking for and I would not stray from this position. It was confirmed in a cabinet meeting. Now, I see a whole controversy emerging and I wonder what I did wrong?", he questioned in front of the press, Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Dido Nsapu