Congo police fire tear gas at supporters of opposition leader

Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition presidential candidate Moise Katumbi (C) waves to his supporters as he walks to the prosecutor's office over government allegations he hired mercenaries in a plot against the state, in Lubumbashi, the capital of Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, May 9, 2016. REUTERS/Kenny Katombe

LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Police in Democratic Republic of Congo fired tear gas on Wednesday at thousands of supporters of a leading opposition candidate for president who is being questioned over government allegations of hiring mercenaries, a Reuters witness said. Moise Katumbi, the former governor of Congo's copper-mining region, appeared for a second day at the prosecutor general's office in the second city Lubumbashi to respond to accusations that he hired mercenaries, including U.S. soldiers, in a plot against the republic. (Reporting By Kenny Katombe; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Toby Chopra)