Former DRC President Joseph Kabila Sentenced too Death In Absentia
Joseph Kabila, the former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who governed from 2001 to 2019, has been sentenced to death by a military high court. The trial proceeded in absentia as Kabila has resided outside the DRC since 2023 and did not submit legal representation.
The court found Kabila guilty of charges including “betrayal” and “war crimes.” The sentencing, originally scheduled for September 30th, was delayed by nearly three hours before the verdict was announced, alongside a considerable financial penalty.
Massive Financial Penalties & Allegations of M23 Support
Beyond the death sentence, Kabila has been ordered to pay $29 billion USD to the congolese state. He is also required to compensate the North Kivu and south Kivu provinces – both civil parties in the case – wiht $2 billion USD each.
The Military Attorney’s Office accused Kabila of orchestrating the violence perpetrated by the M23 rebel movement,which has been linked to widespread atrocities including murder,rape,and torture in eastern DRC. Lucien René Likulia,the Armed Forces Auditor General,stated that Kabila was directly connected to the movement’s crimes.
Loss of Immunity & party Crackdown
The legal proceedings followed the revocation of Kabila’s senatorial immunity in May. He had served as a Senator since 2019. The day after losing his immunity,Kabila publicly denounced the government as authoritarian and criticized the “collapse of institutions” in a broadcast from an undisclosed location.
Concurrently,the government suspended the activities of Kabila’s founded political party,the Popular Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD),and ordered the seizure of his assets,citing collaboration with the M23.
Exile and Ongoing Regional Tensions
Kabila, now 54 years old, left the DRC in 2023 and has primarily resided in South Africa. In April, he expressed a willingness to return to the country to “help find a solution” to the ongoing crisis in the east.
The conviction arrives amidst delicate peace negotiations. In June, Kinshasa and Rwanda signed a ministerial peace agreement in Washington, D.C., and in July, the Congolese government and M23 signed a declaration of principles in Doha. However, the M23 continues to demand the release of prisoners as a condition for further negotiations.
