A court in Bukavu, eastern Congo, has sentenced three Chinese nationals to seven years in prison for illegal possession of gold and money laundering. The men, arrested in January with 10 gold bars and $400,000 in cash, claimed to be traders. Nevertheless, they were fined $600,000 for illegal residency and breaching mining laws, including a lack of transparency and traceability in mining activities. Prior to this incident, local authorities criticized the activities of many Chinese mining firms, which they accused of operating without permits and failing to declare profits. This conviction follows public outcry and government crackdowns on illegal mining. Meanwhile, tensions over resource control persist, with Kinshasa accusing Rwanda of backing armed groups like M23 to exploit the region’s minerals. The lucrative mineral wealth in South Kivu province, including gold and critical resources for electronics, has fueled 30 years of conflict.
Source: VOA