Ex-leader of African state sentenced to death

Former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila has been convicted in absentia of treason and war crimes over alleged support for M23 rebels

The former president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Joseph Kabila, has been sentenced to death in absentia by the country’s High Military Court, following a conviction on multiple charges, including treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday.

The case centers on Kabila’s alleged role in supporting the M23 rebel group, which has been waging an insurgency in eastern Congo. The court found Kabila guilty of orchestrating acts of murder, torture, sexual violence, and insurrection in collaboration with the rebel movement.

Although Kabila has denied all charges, he did not appear in court to present a defense. His whereabouts remain unknown.

“In applying Article 7 of the Military Penal Code, it imposes a single sentence, namely the most severe one, which is the death penalty,” said Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the tribunal.

Read more

In addition to the death sentence, the court ordered Kabila to pay damages to both the Congolese state and victims of the alleged crimes, with reported figures ranging from approximately $33 billion to nearly $50 billion.

The proceedings against Kabila began in July, after the Senate lifted his parliamentary immunity in May. Kabila governed the DR Congo from 2001 to 2019.

The verdict comes as the M23 rebel group continues its offensive in the mineral-rich eastern provinces of the DR Congo, while regional and international actors have been pushing for a ceasefire. The militants have seized key mining hubs, including Goma and Bukavu, reportedly killing thousands. 

The DR Congo still retains the death penalty but has observed a conditional moratorium on executions since 2003. Human rights groups note that although courts continue to issue death sentences, no executions have occurred for over 20 years.

READ MORE: DR Congo and rebels return to Doha for talks

Across Africa, more countries have abolished capital punishment in recent decades. Since 2000, nations such as Gabon (2010), the Republic of Congo and Madagascar (2015), Chad (2020), Sierra Leone (2021), and the Central African Republic and Zambia (2022) have ended the death penalty.