The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo to 10 years of hard labor after finding him guilty of embezzling public funds.

The verdict follows an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of $247 million allocated for the development of an agro-industrial park in the Bukanga-Lonzo region. Charges were also brought against Déogratias Mutombo, former governor of the Central Bank, and Christo Grobler, a South African businessman. Both were sentenced to five years in prison, with Grobler additionally ordered to be expelled from the country upon completion of his sentence.

Matata Ponyo served as Prime Minister from 2012 to 2016 under former President Joseph Kabila. He is currently a Member of Parliament and serves as the head of the opposition party Leadership and Governance for Development.