DRC: 2
Norwegians Sentenced To Death
The
Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, has sentenced two
Norwegian men to death for murder.
Joshua French, 27, and Tjostolv Moland, 28, were
also accused of arms smuggling and espionage. They
denied all charges.
They were held after their Congolese driver was
found shot dead in May this year in the north-east
of the country.
The two were ordered to pay sixty million dollar
damages.
Reactions
There was applause when the sentence was handed down
at a military tribunal in Kisangani city.
However, Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere
rejected the death sentences against two Norwegian
citizens and also denounced accusations that there
had been espionage on behalf of Norway.
He also expressed concern the accused did not
receive a fair trial.
French and Moland - former members of Norway's armed
forces - had been trying to set up a private
security firm in the DR Congo.
The pair have said their driver was shot and killed
when their car was attacked by gunmen on the road
near the city of Kisangani.
BBC / Qasim/ Funke