DRC's ex-president receives death sentence by military court for treason

A high military court in Congo convicted former President Joseph Kabila of treason and war crimes, sentencing him to death on charges of collaborating with anti-government rebels.

The verdict was announced on September 30 and comes after months of proceedings held in absentia, as Kabila’s whereabouts have been unknown since his last public appearance earlier this year in a city under rebel control, as reported by AP.

The court also ordered Kabila’s immediate arrest, marking an extraordinary turn against the former president, who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 2001 to 2019. His political party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), rejected the verdict, describing it as politically motivated.

Prosecutors alleged that Kabila conspired with Rwanda and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which launched a rapid offensive in January that captured several strategic cities in Congo’s mineral-rich eastern provinces. The offensive underscored the enduring instability of eastern Congo, where armed groups continue to challenge central government authority and compete for control of natural resources.

Kabila, who has consistently denied the charges, appeared to express sympathy for the rebels’ cause earlier in the year. In February, he published an op-ed in a South African journal voicing support for M23’s campaign.

The high military court found Kabila guilty of treason, war crimes, conspiracy, and organising an insurrection in collaboration with M23. The court imposed severe financial penalties alongside the death sentence. Kabila was ordered to pay $29 billion in damages to the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with an additional $2 billion each to the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, areas most affected by the fighting.

Testimony from former rebel insiders played a central role in the case. The prosecution presented statements from Eric Nkuba, the former chief of staff to M23 leader Corneille Nangaa.

Nkuba, who was convicted on rebellion charges in August 2024 and is currently serving his sentence, testified that Kabila had been in regular communication with Nangaa. According to Nkuba, Kabila used these conversations to coordinate efforts aimed at toppling the government of President Felix Tshisekedi.

The court cited Nkuba’s testimony as evidence of direct collaboration between Kabila and the rebel leadership. This linkage was central to the court’s decision to convict the former president of both treason and organising an insurrection.

The financial damages ordered against Kabila reflect the scale of destruction and displacement attributed to the rebel campaign. North Kivu and South Kivu, where the M23 offensive has been concentrated, have seen mass civilian displacement and widespread humanitarian crises.

The sums awarded to these provinces signal the court’s intention to hold Kabila financially accountable for the consequences of his alleged collaboration.

While the government framed the conviction as a step toward justice in a country wracked by armed conflict, Kabila’s supporters denounced the trial as biased. The head of the PPRD described the court’s decision as “a political, unfair decision,” emphasising their view that the charges were constructed to discredit the former president and weaken his political base.

By Nazrin Sadigova