Ex-Congo health minister accused of COVID-19 fraud

Authorities arrested Congo's former public health minister, Dr. Eteni Longondo, on Friday following allegations that he misappropriated more than $1 million in funds allocated by the World Bank to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Longondo, who has maintained his innocence, was taken to the central prison of Makala following an hours-long court proceeding in Kinshasa, according to Inspector General of Finance.

It was not immediately known what specific charges Longondo faced or whether he had retained a lawyer. At a news conference on Wednesday, Longondo had sharply denied the allegations, stating that there has “never been any misappropriation of funds from Covid-19 at the Ministry of Health.” Longondo had been appointed as health minister in 2019 and managed the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Congo prior to being replaced in April.