Kinshasa, DR Congo – October 2, 2025:
A military tribunal in Kinshasa has sentenced former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia for war crimes, treason, and crimes against humanity.
Kabila, 54, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019, was found guilty of supporting the notorious M23 rebel group, which has terrorised eastern Congo through murder, sexual assault, torture, and armed insurrection.
The tribunal also ordered Kabila to pay a staggering $33 billion fine.
Court Findings & Reactions
The court ruled that Kabila’s alleged support for the M23 directly fueled violence in the eastern region.
Kabila, whose whereabouts remain unknown, has denied all charges, dismissing the case as “arbitrary” and calling the courts an “instrument of oppression.”
His allies have described the ruling as “illegal” and “tragicomic.”
Meanwhile, the M23 rebel leader criticised the verdict, warning that it could undermine ongoing peace talks.
International Context
The trial comes amid renewed conflict in eastern Congo, where the M23 has captured key territories. The United Nations and several Western nations have repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the rebels — an allegation Rwanda denies.
The ruling has sparked political shockwaves in Congo and beyond, raising fears of wider instability in a region already torn apart by violence.
