Hot SourceA military court in Kinshasa has sentenced former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, to death in absentia on charges of war crimes and treason.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday (30 September), found the ex-leader guilty of serious offences linked to his nearly two-decade rule, which ended in 2019.
Kabila, who is outside the country, was tried in absentia along with some of his former military and political allies. The court accused him of organising violence and undermining national security. His supporters have dismissed the case as politically motivated.
The verdict marks a dramatic turn in Congolese politics. Kabila took power in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, and stayed in office until 2019. His presidency was marked by conflict, corruption allegations and reports of human rights abuses.
Reaction to the ruling has been mixed. Critics of Kabila say it is a step towards justice, but his loyalists and some opposition figures argue the move could worsen divisions in the country.
Rights groups have also raised questions about whether the trial met international standards, while regional leaders fear the ruling could spark fresh instability in a nation already struggling with violence in its eastern provinces.
Kabila himself has not spoken publicly on the case, but people close to him say he sees the trial as an attempt to cut off his influence in national politics.
The judgment comes at a delicate moment for the DRC, as the government tries to stabilise conflict-prone regions and build stronger democratic institutions.
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