Norwegians sentenced to death for “spying” in Congo

Joshua French

By IAN ALLEN | intelNews.org |
Two Norwegian citizens were sentenced to death yesterday by a Congolese military court for arms smuggling, murder, attempted murder and spying for the Norwegian government. The two have been identified as Tjostolv Moland, 28, and Joshua French, 27 (photo).  Both were arrested in May in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after their Congolese driver was found murdered with a bullet wound in his head. Prosecutors also accuse the two Norwegians of trying to kill a murder witness. Immediately upon their arrest, Moland and French were treated as Norwegian government agents, because they carried Norwegian military identification. A police search at an apartment leased to the two men in Uganda reportedly found United Nations hats and forged identity badges. The discovery, in association with the Norwegians’ activities in the country’s lawless east, fuelled speculation in the DRC that they were spies. But the Norwegians deny the charges and say they are not agents of the Norwegian government. The latter has also rejected the spying accusations and has said it will work to prevent the executions.