Former President Joseph Kabila sentenced to death in absentia by a DRC military court for treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sentenced former president Joseph Kabila to death in absentia after convicting him of treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The landmark ruling, delivered on September 30, 2025, in Kinshasa, sent shockwaves through the mineral-rich Central African nation, already grappling with political unrest and rebel violence.
Charges and Conviction
The trial was presided over by Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who declared Kabila guilty of orchestrating and financing the M23 rebel movement in the country’s volatile east. The militia has captured strategic towns in North and South Kivu, displacing tens of thousands in the process.
Reading the verdict, Judge Katalayi said:
“In applying Article 7 of the Military Penal Code, the tribunal imposes the single sentence available for these crimes — the death penalty.”
The court also ordered Kabila to pay $50 billion in reparations to victims and the Congolese state. It accused him of facilitating murder, sexual assault, torture, and armed insurrection through financial and logistical support to M23.
Government Stance
President Felix Tshisekedi’s government has long claimed that Kabila secretly backed the rebels to destabilize the east and preserve political influence. Earlier this year, Tshisekedi’s administration suspended Kabila’s political party and froze assets linked to its senior officials, according to Al Jazeera.
Kabila’s Response
Kabila, who took power in 2001 after the assassination of his father Laurent-Désiré Kabila, ruled the DRC until 2019. He did not attend the trial.
His lawyers dismissed the proceedings as illegitimate.
“The so-called trial of President Kabila is a charade, a judicial farce designed to silence a man who served this country,” one of his aides told reporters from exile.
Kabila himself has not appeared in public for months. Congolese officials believe he has been living in South Africa since 2023.
Regional Implications
The verdict has heightened concerns in the Great Lakes region, where tensions are already high. Kinshasa has long accused Rwanda of backing M23, though Kigali strongly denies the allegations.
The rebels currently control several mining zones crucial to the global supply of cobalt and coltan, key minerals for electric vehicle batteries. Analysts say the ruling could complicate fragile regional diplomacy.
“This is not just about Kabila. It’s about Congo’s long-standing fractures and the role of outside actors,” a regional security expert told Al Jazeera.
International Reaction
The sentencing drew immediate responses from global watchdogs.
Human Rights Watch questioned whether the trial met international standards and warned that the death penalty could deepen political divides.
“This ruling sets a dangerous precedent. Justice must be seen to be impartial and not a political weapon,” said a HRW researcher.
The United Nations also called for restraint, urging Congolese authorities to uphold transparency in the judicial process, according to AP News.
A Divisive Legacy
Kabila remains a polarizing figure. Supporters credit him with overseeing the 2002 Sun City peace accord, which ended years of civil war. Critics say he entrenched corruption and used the army to crush dissent.
During his 18 years in power, Congo’s GDP rose from $6 billion in 2001 to $47 billion in 2018, driven largely by mining, according to World Bank data. Yet poverty and insecurity persisted, particularly in the east.
What Next?
Though Kabila received a death sentence, the DRC has observed a moratorium on executions since 2003, meaning he is unlikely to face execution even if apprehended.
“This is a symbolic verdict more than a practical one,” noted The Guardian. “It cements the end of Kabila’s era in Congolese politics.”
The ruling underscores Tshisekedi’s push to consolidate power ahead of the 2026 elections, while highlighting the fragility of Congo’s democracy and institutions.
