Published 21:52 IST, September 14th 2019
Congo police detain ex-health minister Oly Ilunga in Ebola funds probe
Congo police detain ex-health minister Oly Ilunga Ebola funds probe. Funds were to be used as an emergency fund by the country to fight against Ebola epidemic.
On September 14, Oly Ilunga, the former Congolese Minister of Health was arrested over accusation of the mismanagement of funds that were supposed to be used as an emergency fund by the country to fight against the Ebola epidemic as reported by the police officials to the media. Oly Ilunga was given the responsibility of the immediate spread of the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is considered the second deadliest outbreak in history. He maintained the position for a year.
Ilunga detained by the Congo police
Ilunga was stripped by the administration of that obligation in July and he left the administration days after that. In early September, his legal counselors said he had been examined by police concerning his job dealing with the Ebola reaction. They denied any mismanagement or wrongdoing of funds by Ilunga. In a statement issued to the international media, the national police of Congo said they accepted that Ilunga was confined as the police believed he intended to sidestep legal procedures by leaving the country.
A legal proceeding to follow
The police’s press service said that, “Unfortunately, police received information about his disappearance with a view to reaching Congo-Brazzaville,” as told to the foreign agencies. Ilunga will be kept in the police custody and will be brought before the prosecutor on this proceeding as dated on September 16. The defense lawyers have refused to give any remarks. The legal proceeding will follow and then the verdict will come.
More funds required to fight Ebola
According to the reports of the United Nations, hundreds of millions of dollars will be required to fight the Ebola epidemic. As of now more than $150 million dollars have been donated to the Republic of Congo by the foreign donors to provide support and aid required to fight Ebola. According to the statistics, the outbreak of Ebola has killed more than 2,000 people and more than 1,000 people have been diagnosed with the disease. The 2013-16 epidemic which struck in several parts of West Africa has been recorded with the deaths of more than 11,300 people. The outbreak is considered to be the deadliest of all time.
Updated 22:29 IST, September 14th 2019