A society American banking has initiated legal proceedings in the United States against the State of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several highs Congolese officials, accusing them of attempted corruption, according to a The complaint was consulted by AFP on Wednesday. The case highlights a litigation sensitive around a project to modernise the banking sector and digitization of the Congolese economy

The company PayServices, based in Idaho, claims to have been requested at the end of 2023 by the Congolese government to create a joint venture to revitalize a public bank and to support the country's digital transformation. Se presenting itself as a “financial institution”, the company indicates that it has accepted the proposal and invested over $72 million in technologies and services in the DRC in order to launch the project.

According to the complaint, the contract concluded provided for the payment by the Congolese State of 20 million dollars to PayServices within fourteen days. The company claims however that, subsequently, “several corrupt officials in the DRC” acting without the knowledge of President Félix Tshisekedi, allegedly required bribes to allow the continuation of the project.

Among the persons implicated include in particular the Minister for the Portfolio of the State, Julie Mbuyi Shiku, the Minister of Finance, Doudou Roussel Fwamba, as well as the governor of the Central Bank of Congo, André Wameso Nukaloloki. Close collaborators of the Head of State, including his director of firm, are also cited in the procedure.

PayServices maintains that the refusal to give in to these unlawful demands would have led to officials aimed at sabotaging the contract and putting an end to the project, at Presumed profit from competing firms willing to pay commissions undue. The company is thus seeking 20 million dollars in damages and interests to the Congolese State and to the Ministry of Portfolio, as well as the reimbursement of at least $72 million corresponding to investments committed.

For its part, the Ministry of Portfolio strongly rejected these accusations. In a press release published on Wednesday, it denounces allegations “devoid of any basis legal, budgetary or accounting”. The Congolese authorities say that PayServices would have created a “false appearance of solvency regulation” by presenting itself as a bank, when it would not have the status legal institution of a banking institution.

In this context, the ministry indicates that the authorities have put an end to all administrative actions given to the file in order to “protect the Public Treasury”, now leaving the American justice to settle this dispute with heavy political implications and financial.