Belgian judicial authorities conducted searches in Brussels and the provinces of Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant on Wednesday, October 14, as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to a complaint filed in July 2025 against members of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi’s family over alleged mining-related financial crimes. The complaint names nine members of Tshisekedi’s family, including First Lady Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi, the president's sons, brothers, nephews and sister-in-law. ALSO READ: Tshisekedi’s properties in Belgium searched amid money laundering probe They are accused of benefiting from alleged schemes involving the exploitation of mineral resources in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, two major mining provinces in the country’s south. The allegations have not been established in court. Belgian authorities have not identified the individuals whose properties were searched or disclosed whether any assets were seized. Why Belgium instead of DR Congo? The complaint was filed on behalf of several non-governmental organisations in Katanga and four former directors of Gécamines, DR Congo’s state-owned mining company. In an interview with Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd, Belgian lawyer Bernard Maingain, who filed the complaint alongside fellow lawyer Brieuc Maingain, said Belgian courts had jurisdiction because several people implicated in the alleged crimes held Belgian citizenship. ALSO READ: Protests against Tshisekedi’s proposed constitutional changes met with arrests, death Maingain said the decision followed discussions with trade union representatives and civil society groups about which courts could handle the alleged offences. He also cited what he described as the failure of Congolese judicial authorities to act on previous complaints he had submitted. “I realized that many of the individuals involved, not just family members, are Belgian nationals, or in some cases hold both Congolese and another nationality which may be surprising, but it is a fact,” he said. “Since Belgian citizens are involved, our courts have international jurisdiction over matters of corruption, torture, the misappropriation of public funds, and money laundering.” The lawyer pointed to earlier complaints concerning alleged abuses in eastern DR Congo, including hate speech, which he said had not resulted in prosecutions. “We have brought all the cases concerning [eastern DR Congo], including those involving hate speech before the Congolese justice system. Not a single prosecution. Not one,” he said. Maingain also cited complaints concerning massacres in Ituri province and the conduct of the United Nations peacekeepers there, saying he had received no response to his submissions or appeals for assistance. He questioned whether complaints involving powerful interests in Katanga would receive proper attention if handled domestically. Allegations of mining-related plunder The complaint accuses members of the presidential family of benefiting from questionable mining-related arrangements in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, including lucrative subcontracting deals involving mining waste. Maingain said mineral wealth was allegedly diverted while mining workers and surrounding communities continued to suffer from poverty and poor environmental conditions. “What we are denouncing are the operations involving the plundering of Katanga, these systems of predation,” he said. He declined to identify specific mining sites or discuss details of the investigation, citing professional confidentiality and the secrecy of the judicial proceedings. However, he said he had received numerous testimonies and documents from Congolese citizens and officials, particularly in Katanga, who wanted to provide information to investigators. “Based on what people have confided in me within the privacy of my office, I possess a vast number of testimonies, specific and verifiable facts, and documents,” he said. The Belgian investigation was opened on suspicion of money laundering. Maingain declined to speculate on whether prosecutors could pursue additional charges. Asked whether Tshisekedi himself could become a target, Maingain declined to discuss the identities of those under investigation. He nevertheless raised questions about state responsibility. “Is it possible for such grave acts to be committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo without the state being aware of them or even covering them up?” he said. Maingain said the complainants wanted any resources proven to have been unlawfully taken returned to the wider community, rather than to the individuals who filed the case. “It concerns a human community challenging what they perceive as a criminal method of governance. They seek to regain their dignity through justice. They want what was stolen to be returned, not to specific individuals or the plaintiffs, but to the entire community,” he said. “They want to ensure that this never happens again.” The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that the investigation followed complaints filed in July 2025 but has withheld further details, citing the secrecy of the proceedings and the presumption of innocence.
