The financial scandal engulfing the Fonds National de Retraite des Victimes des Violations des Droits Humains (FONAREV) has intensified, with a government audit revealing the fund cannot account for millions, including a $15 million transfer to the Nyakeru Foundation, led by First Lady Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi.
The General Inspectorate of Finances (IGF) issued a stern warning to directors today, threatening account freezes over irregularities tied to Director General Patrick Fata, amid a crisis detailed in a June 6, 2025, financial report and IGF’s July 7, 2025, communiqué (file PR/IGF/OM34-2025/2025).
FONAREV, established to support war crime victims, fund reconciliation, and deliver transitional justice, now faces empty accounts, with management providing no clear explanation.
The IGF audit, initiated March 25, 2025, uncovered failures to comply with Ordinance No. 87-323 of September 15, 1987, particularly Article 12, which mandates transparent oversight.
It flagged anomalies in preemptive fund notifications, incomplete violence compensation records, and unvalidated tax exemptions and medical/salary withholdings.
The June report revealed a $40 million budget, with only 16% spent by mid-year, while computer equipment repairs soared 4,007% to $15 million without documentation. Key programs like victim identification and genocide inquiries received minimal funding.
The $15 million transfer to the First Lady’s foundation has drawn fierce criticism. The Congolese Accountability Network demanded an independent audit, citing a conflict of interest as public funds vanish. Social media buzzed with calls for resignations and probes, risking domestic trust and international support for Congo’s reconciliation process.
The IGF’s July 7 warning, signed by Inspectors Kupa Lusamba, Ilunga Nyembwe, and Chief G.F. Muzeze Nzonzimbu, follows an April 25, 2025, account freeze lifted within 24 hours—allegedly due to high-level pressure from the Haut-Comndement des Forces Armées. With compliance deadlines looming, transparency is critical to save FONAREV’s mission.
