KINSHASA. The High Military Court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death after finding him guilty of treason, war crimes, rape, murder, conspiracy and propaganda of war crimes. The Tuesday court sitting also issued an order for his immediate arrest.
In its ruling, the court stressed that Kabila, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, is of Congolese nationality, a point that distinguished his conviction for treason from espionage, which under Congolese law applies only to foreigners.
The judgment marks the most dramatic legal action ever taken against a former Congolese head of state.
Kabila, once regarded as a guarantor of stability after years of conflict, has been accused in recent months of supporting the M23 rebellion in the east of the country – allegations he has denied, describing them as a politically motivated campaign to block his return to power.
Kabila, 54, had earlier this month announced a political comeback, saying he was ready to “resume the supreme responsibilities of the Nation” in order to restore order and prosperity.
His declaration reignited debate about succession ahead of the 2028 elections, as current President Félix Tshisekedi is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
The court’s decision comes amid escalating violence in eastern Congo, where the army has struggled to contain the M23 insurgency despite regional military support.
Tshisekedi’s government has accused elements loyal to Kabila of fueling instability to weaken state authority.
The death sentence deepens Congo’s already fraught political climate.
It was not immediately clear whether Kabila, whose whereabouts remain unknown, would appeal the ruling.