The highest court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has barred former vice president, Jean-Pierre Bemba from contesting December’s presidential election.
The top court gave the ruling on Monday, upholding an earlier decision taken by the country’s election commission.
The court says Mr. Bemba cannot contest the presidential election because of his earlier conviction for bribing witnesses.
Last month, the election commission rejected Bemba’s presidential bid. His name was excluded from the final list of approved candidates.
Mr. Bemba challenged the decision at the constitutional court hoping for a reversal.
But the President of the court said, “The constitutional court… confirms the ineligibility of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo for suborning witnesses by resorting to bribery.”
Bemba filed his candidacy for December’s presidential election after returning home last month haven spent a decade in prison.
He was held in detention in The Hague on charges of war crimes. But the International Criminal Court overturned his conviction in 2016 for war crimes.
Bemba was accused of allowing his forces to go on rampage in Central African Republic killing people in 2002 and 2003.
But later this month the international court in the Hague will sentence him for bribing witnesses during his war crimes trial.
There are always fears Bemba’s exclusion from the final list could trigger violent reaction from his supporters.
In 2006 forces loyal to him clashed with state forces when he lost the presidential election to Joseph Kabila.
Mr. Kabila will not be running for President this time round.
Source: Africafeeds.com
