Ex-DR Congo President Joseph Kabila sentenced to death in absentia for treason

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday handed down a death sentence to former president Joseph Kabila after finding him guilty of treason and complicity with the M23 rebel group.

The 54-year-old, who ruled the vast Central African nation for 18 years, was not present in court throughout the proceedings, having reportedly left the country in 2023.

Kabila, the son of assassinated former president Laurent-Désiré Kabila, was accused by prosecutors of colluding with the M23 rebel movement, which has staged a violent resurgence in the mineral-rich eastern DRC with backing from Rwandan forces.

The court also found him guilty on charges of homicide, torture, and rape tied to M23 operations.

Military prosecutor Gen. Lucien René Likulia pressed for the maximum penalty, arguing that Kabila’s actions amounted to a plot to overthrow sitting President Félix Tshisekedi.

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“Joseph Kabila betrayed the nation by conspiring with armed groups to destabilize the Republic and undermine its sovereignty,” Likulia told the court while urging the imposition of the death penalty.

Kabila first assumed power in 2001 after his father’s assassination, making him one of Africa’s youngest heads of state at the time. He went on to govern for nearly two decades, stepping down in 2019 following landmark elections that brought Tshisekedi to power.

His departure from the DRC in 2023 amid rising tensions with the Tshisekedi government set the stage for what has become one of the most dramatic trials of a former African leader in recent history.

The M23 rebellion, revived in late 2021, has displaced millions and sparked a humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo. The United Nations and Western governments have repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing military support to the group, an allegation Kigali denies.

Experts say Kabila’s conviction could further inflame political divisions in the DRC. “This is not just a legal ruling, it’s a political earthquake,” said Dr. Emmanuel Kasereka, a Kinshasa-based political analyst. “Sentencing a former president to death raises questions about due process, political vendettas, and the risk of further destabilization.”

With Kabila’s whereabouts unknown and his trial conducted in absentia, it remains unclear whether the sentence will ever be enforced.

Nonetheless, the ruling marks a watershed moment in the DRC’s turbulent political history, underscoring both the fragility of its institutions and the high stakes of its ongoing security crisis.

The DRC continues to grapple with waves of conflict in its east, where rival militias and foreign-backed armed groups battle over territory and mineral wealth, complicating Tshisekedi’s efforts to consolidate peace and authority.