[Published: Tuesday April 10 2018]
 DR Congo judges resign
KINSHASA 10 Apr (ANA) - Two senior judges in the Democratic Republic of Congo have resigned from the constitutional court in a move likely to undermine the transparency of elections in December.
Neither have given reasons for quitting.
The two jurists, Banyaku Luape and Jean-Louis Esambo, had a reputation for being independent.
In 2016 they stayed away from a hearing that allowed the electoral commission to delay the poll that year.
With their departure, and after the death last weekend of another judge, Yvon Kalonda, the constitutional court is down from nine to six members.
The DR Congo's government says there will be elections on the 23 December. That's two years after the expiry of President Joseph Kabila's mandate.
A clampdown on dissent, disarray in the opposition and the state of the electoral roll have already raised questions over how fair that poll can be.
The constitutional court is the single body in the DR Congo where candidates can challenge an election.
Its members are chosen by the president, parliament and the council of judges.(ANA)
FA/ANA/10 April 2018--------- |
Scotland/Politics