Abbas Kayonga surrendered on Sunday in the eastern city of Bukavu to United Nations authorities after resisting attempts by Congolese troops to arrest him.
BUKAVU, DR Congo - The former anti-graft chief fighting fraud in DR Congo&39;s lucrative eastern mines appeared in court on Monday to face charges of rebellion, a day after his arrest following clashes that left six dead.
Renegade Colonel Abbas Kayonga surrenders in Eastern Congo after clashes https://t.co/Sek0EWELX9 via todayng pic.twitter.com/h2wzn06QtZ
— akinsowon olusegun (@akinto70) November 6, 2017
Abbas Kayonga surrendered on Sunday in the eastern city of Bukavu to United Nations authorities after resisting attempts by Congolese troops to arrest him. Three soldiers and three civilians died in the fighting.
Kayonga and 29 others are accused of "rebellion, assassination ... illegally hoarding weapons and ammunition and inciting soldiers to commit unlawful acts," Colonel Roger Wavara told a military court in Bukavu.
The former rebel headed a body probing fraud and corruption in the region&39;s highly lucrative mines but was sacked last week for "grave negligence," under an order issued by the governor of Sud-Kivu province.
Sud-Kivu has rich deposits of gold, tin and coltan, used in mobile phones, which have long helped finance rebel groups and army officers.
Speaking to AFP before his arrest, Kayonga said he had sought protection after his suspension fearing reprisal from some fraudsters.
Wavara told the court Monday that 10 heavy weapons, three light ones and a vast cache of ammunition had been found in Kayonga&39;s home.
Kayonga had surrendered with 15 of his men.
