The High Military Court in Kinshasa has sentenced former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, ordering his immediate arrest in a ruling that has sent shockwaves across the country. According to state broadcaster Radio Okapi, the court also imposed $33 billion in damages—$29 billion to the Congolese state and $2 billion each to civil parties in North and South Kivu, regions that have long suffered under militia violence.
Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019 after the assassination of his father Laurent-Désiré Kabila, was convicted of treason, war crimes, and participating in an insurrectional movement. Judges alleged that he acted as the leader of the AFC/M23 coalition, overseeing rebel training, staff meetings, and hostilities against the state since the Mutebusi rebellion of the early 2000s.
While the court stopped short of ruling on claims of Kabila’s alleged Rwandan nationality or authorizing asset seizures, it declared that his actions constituted a profound betrayal of the Congolese nation. The judgment stated that his conduct “violated the duties of loyalty and dignity owed to the state,” leaving what it described as a deep scandal among millions of citizens. The verdict is unprecedented in Congolese history, marking the first time a former head of state has been sentenced to death by a military tribunal. Kabila, now living abroad, has not responded publicly, though his political allies are expected to challenge the ruling as politically motivated.
