Prosecutors in DR Congo have requested a 20 year prison sentence for Vital Kamerhe, a key ally of President Felix Tshisekedi, over his alleged role in the embezzlement of more than 50 million dollars of public funds.

"Neither the lawyers of the Republic nor the prosecutor's office have been able to prove the guilt of M. Vital Kamerhe," he said referring to himself in the third person.

Kamerhe, who made a pact to back President Felix Tshisekedi in a 2018 election in the expectation of succeeding him, is accused of embezzling more than 50 million dollars of state funds intended for major public works.

Kamerhe's supporters say the case is politically motivated, aimed at blocking his chances of challenging Tshisekedi at the next election in 2023, after prosecutors requested he be barred from holding public office for 10 years.

Insulting the president

Nothing was done "without the knowledge" of Tshisekedi, Kamerhe claimed, insisting he was not in office when the contract at the centre of the allegations was signed in 2018.