4th September, 2019
Democratic Republic of Congo government is set to probe the former health minister, Oly Ilunga over misappropriation of funds meant to used to contain the Ebola outbreak.
The immigration authorities in the country have banned the former health minister from leaving the country, days after he was interrogated.
Eastern Congo has recorded up to 2,035 deaths from the second-deadliest outbreak of the disease and risks spreading to neighbouring countries.
Oly Ilunga spearheaded government efforts to combat the virus until his resignation as health minister in July in protest at being sidelined by President Felix Tshisekedi, who took direct control of the response.
Ilunga was said to be under pressure to introduce a second experimental vaccine manufactured by U.S. company Johnson & Johnson, by the presidency.
Ilunga was questioned last week as part of an inquiry into how Ebola response funds were spent while he was still in office, his lawyer Guy Kabeya said.
Ilunga was questioned by a panel of three judicial officials about money disbursed by the ministry to traditional chiefs and bonuses paid to Ebola response team workers, he said.
“Ilunga replied that there was nothing irregular in this and there were receipts to prove that the traditional chiefs received the funds,” Kabeya said by phone from the capital, Kinshasa. “On the bonuses, the former minister gave it to people who worked extra hours.”
Ilunga is being harassed, according to Kabeya. “The right to movement is constitutional and can only be limited by court order,” he said.