00:00The trial of the DR Congo's former Justice Minister, Constant Mutamba, continued on Friday
00:06in the absence of the defendant. Mutamba is accused of embezzling some $20 million
00:12intended for the Uganda Victims' Reparations Fund. On Monday, he stormed out of the hearing
00:18at the Court of Kassassian, accusing authorities of violating his rights.
00:23He didn't return for Friday's session when his co-defendant, Shonkarl Bukalela, took the stand.
00:30Bukalela was in charge of managing reparations awarded to the DRC by the International Court
00:36of Justice for abuses committed by Uganda. The two defendants are charged in connection
00:42with compensation payments funded by a $325 million fund. Both men deny the charges. Mutamba is already
00:52serving three years' house arrest for other embezzlement offences. Sources close to him
00:58have reportedly said he won't return for the trial's closing arguments on Wednesday.
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