The security services in the Democratic Republic of Congo have detained a further three senior government ministers as part of an ongoing government investigation into alleged corruption.

Official sources confirmed that the planning minister, the energy minister and the deputy public enterprise minister have been detained for questioning.

They join two other government ministers the government spokesman and the public enterprise ministerwho were taken into detention at the weekend.

The National Security Council which is conducting the investigation,says that should evidence of irregularities be found, the cases would be handed over to the judiciary.

The corruption probe follows warnings by President Laurent Kabila to Cabinet ministers against the abuse of office for personal gain.