Kinshasa, DRC: A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia on charges of war crimes, treason, and crimes against humanity, marking an unprecedented ruling against the country’s long-serving leader.
The court delivered the ruling on Monday after weeks of high-profile hearings in which prosecutors accused Kabila of orchestrating atrocities, including killings, rape, torture, and mass displacement during his 18-year rule. The verdict follows the lifting of his parliamentary immunity earlier this year, which cleared the way for prosecution.
Prosecutors argued that Kabila’s actions amounted to betrayal of the nation, alleging that he conspired with foreign militias and sanctioned systematic violence against civilians. They insisted that the gravity of the crimes justified the maximum penalty.
Kabila, who has been absent from the proceedings, denies the allegations. His lawyers have dismissed the trial as politically motivated, accusing the government of weaponising the judiciary to eliminate him from the political scene.
The ruling has already sent shockwaves across the DRC’s political landscape, where Kabila still commands loyalty among significant sections of the security forces and political elite. Observers warn that the sentence could heighten tensions in the country’s volatile eastern provinces, where armed groups remain active.
International human rights organisations are closely watching the case, raising concerns about whether the proceedings respected due process and whether the sentence can be enforced against an absent defendant.
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