Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila has been sentenced to death and ordered to pay nearly 50 billion dollars in damages. The 53-year-old, who ruled the country from 2001 to 2019, is believed to be living in exile in South Africa. Reports indicate that despite his departure in 2023, Kabila recently visited Goma in eastern Congo, a region under the control of the M23 rebel group.
The former leader was tried in absentia in July after being accused of supporting the Rwanda-backed rebels who seized significant territory earlier this year. The verdict was delivered by a military tribunal in Kinshasa led by Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi.
Why was Joseph Kabila sentenced to death?
The tribunal convicted Kabila of treason, crimes against humanity, murder, sexual assault, torture, and insurrection. “In applying Article 7 of the Military Penal Code it imposes a single sentence, namely the most severe one, which is the death penalty,” Katalayi declared during the ruling.
Alongside the death penalty, the court also ordered Kabila to pay nearly 50 billion dollars to the state and victims as reparations. Analysts note that the unprecedented ruling could escalate political instability and widen divisions in the mineral-rich nation, which has already endured decades of armed conflict and governance challenges.
Kabila, who remained in power for nearly two decades, stepped down in 2019 only after nationwide protests and mounting pressure. Since leaving office, his presence has remained controversial. His appearance in rebel-held Goma in May raised new questions about his political ties and influence in the region.
The ruling marks one of the most dramatic legal decisions in Congo’s modern history. With tensions already high in eastern DRC, observers warn that the outcome could inflame divisions both within the country and across the region.
By Lucky Anyanje
