Congolese opposition leader Moïse Katumbi has crossed no-man’s land between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo with thousands of his supporters who came to meet him.

He is currently at immigration, reports the BBC’s senior Africa correspondent Anne Soy.

Earlier we quoted his supporters as saying he had crossed the border.

On Friday morning, the authorities said he would not be allowed to enter the country. He had requested authorisation to fly back from South Africa, but when this was denied he decided to fly to Zambia and then cross the border into DR Congo by road.

The border town of Kasumbalesa is about 95km (59 miles) to his hometown Lubumbashi.

A wealthy businessman and former governor, Mr Katumbi left DR Congo in 2016.

He was later sentenced in absentia to 36 months in prison on charges he says are politically motivated.

He wants to return before a deadline for people to register their candidacy for the long-delayed presidential elections – now scheduled to take place in December.

Who is Moïse Katumbi?

Was governor of the south-eastern Katanga province for almost a decade

In 2015 he broke ties with the ruling party when he accused President Joseph Kabila, his former ally, of wanting to cling to power

His popularity is partly down to his job as the president of a great source of Congolese pride - football club TP Mazembe.