A legal complaint has been filed in Brussels against nine relatives of Félix Tshisekedi, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to a report published Tuesday by La Libre, those named in the case are Belgian nationals and include Tshisekedi’s wife, sons, siblings, cousins, and his sister-in-law.
They are being accused of playing roles in the illegal exploitation of mineral resources in the Lualaba and Upper Katanga provinces of southern DRC.
The complaint, submitted to Belgian federal prosecutor Ann Fransen, claims the group was involved in corrupt activities tied to the looting of valuable mining sites.
The case was brought forward by lawyers Bernard and Brieuc Maingain, representing several NGOs based in Katanga and four former senior officials from Gécamines, the state-owned mining company.
Although the complaint focuses only on those with Belgian nationality, the lawyers noted that others may be prosecuted in additional countries, where more individuals linked to the looting are believed to be located. Further filings are expected.