Tjostolv Moland (l) and Joshua French at the trial in Kisangani

DR CONGO COURT OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCE FOR NORWEGIANS

April 22, 2010: the Democratic Republic of Congo's military high court overturned the death sentences handed down to Norwegians Joshua French and Tjostolv Moland for murder, espionage and conspiracy after their driver was found dead in the jungle in May 2009. Both Joshua French, who also holds British citizenship, and Tjostolv Moland had previously served in Norway's military but Oslo has denied they were in active service when the incident occurred last May near the town of Kisangani.
"The higher military court accepts the request of the defendants, annuls the decision in all its aspects and sends the case back to the military court of Province Orientale," said Colonel Bassolo Yeliambela, the lead judge in the case.
Yeliambela said the top military court in Kinshasa wanted new judges in the court in Kisangani, where the trial originally took place, to reassess the case.
Norway had rejected the spying charges and said it would do all it could via diplomatic channels to block any execution.
"We're happy that the judges considered the arguments we developed before them and annulled the decision by the Kisangani military court, which was riddled with errors never seen in the history of mankind," said Andre Kibambe, Moland's lawyer. (Sources: Reuters, 22/04/2010)