Former President Joseph Kabila Sentenced to Death in Absentia by Military Court in DRC
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- X DRC President Joseph Kabila Sentenced to Death
A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia.
Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the tribunal, announced on Tuesday that Kabila was convicted of multiple grave charges, including treason, crimes against humanity, murder, sexual assault, torture, and insurrection. According to Katalayi, the court, under Article 7 of the Military Penal Code, imposed the death penalty—the harshest sentence available.
Kabila, who led the DRC from 2001 to 2019, left the country in 2023 but made a brief visit to Goma, in the eastern part of the nation, recently. Goma is currently controlled by the M23 rebel group. The former president faced trial in absentia beginning in July, accused of allegedly supporting the M23 rebels, who have taken control of large areas in eastern DRC this year.
While Rwanda denies providing military support to the M23, United Nations experts have asserted that Rwanda’s army played a crucial role in the group’s offensive.
There has been no immediate update on Kabila’s whereabouts following the verdict. The former president did not attend the trial and was not represented by legal counsel. Neither Kabila nor his representatives have publicly commented on the court’s decision.
Kabila has previously dismissed the charges against him, describing the judicial process as “an instrument of oppression.”
Although the death sentence has been passed, Kabila’s legal team has the option to appeal on procedural grounds before the Court of Cassation, but the merits of the case cannot be reconsidered.
