DR Congo Court Sentences Ex-President Kabila to Death in Absentia

DR Congo Court Sentences Ex-President Kabila to Death in Absentia
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Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila has been sentenced to death in absentia after a military court convicted him of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and treason, the BBC reported. The charges relate to accusations that Kabila supported the M23 rebel group, which has carried out deadly attacks and seized territory in the country’s east.

The court found him guilty of murder, torture, sexual violence, and insurrection, and ordered him to pay a fine of $33 billion. Kabila, 54, rejected the ruling as politically motivated, saying the judiciary was being used as an “instrument of oppression.” His location remains unknown.

Kikaya Bin Karubi, a former minister and close ally, criticized the trial as “theatrical” and accused President Félix Tshisekedi’s government of authoritarian tactics, claiming no evidence had been presented linking Kabila to M23. Rebel leader Bertrand Bisimwa also condemned the verdict, saying it undermined ongoing peace talks.

Kabila ruled the DRC for 18 years after the assassination of his father, Laurent, in 2001. Once an ally of Tshisekedi, he left the country in 2023 after relations soured. His sentencing comes as M23 continues to hold large parts of eastern DRC despite a fragile ceasefire.