A major turn of events has emerged in the legal dispute between brothers Raphaël Katebe Katoto and Moïse Katumbi. Currently before the Court of Cassation, the case revolves around several real estate properties and farms in the Haut-Katanga province.
On Monday, November 9, Moïse Katumbi’s defense team made public a judicial forensic report conducted in Belgium, which firmly counters the claims made by the opposing party.
Authenticity Confirmed “100%”
The analysis was performed by Françoise Coenraets, a sworn forensic expert registered with the Brussels Court of Appeal. Her findings are unequivocal: the deeds of sale attributed to Raphaël Katebe Katoto, as well as the signatures affixed to them, are “100%” authentic, “without any reservation.”
In total, seven key documents were examined:
- Five deeds regarding the 2005 sale of a villa in Lubumbashi.
- Two documents concerning properties in Kashobwe and a facility in Kalemie.
While Katumbi’s defense maintains that these findings definitively confirm the validity of the property transfers, Raphaël Katebe Katoto continues to deny being the author of the signatures or the deeds.
Political Undertones and Legal Complexities
Before the Court of Cassation, Katebe Katoto accuses his brother of illegally seizing real estate and agricultural land.
Conversely, allies of Moïse Katumbi reject the allegations, framing the legal action as a politically motivated attempt to sideline him from the political arena. His legal team points to procedural irregularities that they argue violate the principles of a fair trial. They also raise two central legal points:
- Jurisdictional limits: They contest the authority of the Court of Cassation to rule on events that predated their client’s political tenure.
- Foreign citizenship: They note that Raphaël Katebe Katoto holds Belgian nationality, a status they argue must be factored into the judicial review.
Contacted by Radio Okapi, representatives for Raphaël Katebe Katoto were unavailable to comment on the findings of the Belgian forensic report.
With Okapi
