Ex‑President Joseph Kabila Sentenced to Death in Absentia in DR Congo

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1606 EAT on Wednesday 1 October 2025

A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, following his conviction on a range of serious charges.

Delivering the verdict on Tuesday, Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the tribunal, said Kabila was found guilty of crimes including treason, crimes against humanity, murder, sexual assault, torture, and insurrection.

A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, citing his alleged involvement in a range of serious crimes, including treason and support for a rebel group accused of destabilizing the country’s east.

Announcing the verdict on Tuesday, Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi said the court applied Article 7 of the Military Penal Code, which mandates the most severe punishment—capital punishment—in cases involving multiple convictions.

Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019, left the country in 2023 but was recently seen in Goma, a city in eastern Congo currently under the influence of the M23 rebel group. He was put on trial in absentia in July, accused of backing the Rwanda-supported militia responsible for capturing large portions of territory in the region this year.

While Rwanda has denied providing military support to M23, a panel of UN experts reported that Rwandan forces played a “critical” role in the group’s offensive operations.

Kabila did not appear in court and was not represented by legal counsel during the trial. His current location remains unknown, and attempts by Reuters to reach him or his representatives for comment were unsuccessful.

The former president has previously rejected the charges against him, calling the judicial proceedings “an instrument of oppression.”

Yinka Adegoke, Africa Editor at Semafor, told Al Jazeera that Kabila has long been “a thorn in the side” of current President Félix Tshisekedi. While the two once worked closely, Adegoke noted, Kabila no longer aligns with the interests of the Tshisekedi administration.

“He has his own power base, his own support,” Adegoke said. “The problem with this sentencing now is that it could make Kabila supporters feel that this trial is all politically motivated.”

The military court ruling follows a decision in May by the DRC Senate to strip Kabila of his legal immunity—a move he condemned at the time as “dictatorial.”

Although the DRC lifted its moratorium on the death penalty last year, no judicial executions have been carried out since. Nevertheless, military prosecutor General Lucien René Likulia had formally requested the death sentence for Kabila during the trial.

Despite recent diplomatic efforts, violence continues to grip eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In June, the Congolese and Rwandan governments signed a peace agreement in Washington, DC, while a separate declaration of principle with the M23 rebel group—committing to a permanent ceasefire—was signed in Qatar the following month.

However, hostilities persist on the ground. Human rights organizations have condemned widespread abuses against civilians, including summary executions, gang rapes, and kidnappings.

A United Nations investigation released in early September found that all parties to the conflict may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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