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1h ago

DRC Military Court Sentences Ex‑President Joseph Kabila to Death in Absentia

Prosecutors accused him of coordinating with M23 rebels alongside Rwandan support.

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Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila walks back into his house after posing for a group photo with religious leaders at one of his residences in Goma on May 29, 2025.
Joseph Kabila was president of the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2001 to 2019
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Overview

  • The High Military Court in Kinshasa convicted Kabila of treason, war crimes and related offenses including murder, sexual assault, torture and insurrection.
  • He was tried in absentia without legal representation, and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
  • The court ordered Kabila to pay damages totaling tens of billions of dollars to the state and victims in the eastern provinces.
  • Military prosecutors alleged he conspired with the M23 movement and Rwanda to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi, a case his party denounced as politically driven.
  • An appeal to the Court of Cassation is possible only on procedural grounds, while Congo reinstated capital punishment in 2024 but has not carried out executions as the eastern conflict and allegations of Rwandan backing for M23 continue to draw scrutiny.