In an unprecedented move in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Supreme Military Court in Kinshasa has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila (2001–2019) to death after convicting him of “high treason” and “crimes against peace and humanity.”
The ruling was issued in absentia, as Kabila has been living in exile for two years, marking the first-ever death sentence handed down against a former head of state in the country. The prosecution accused Kabila of a long list of crimes, including rape, torture, murder, and forced recruitment, in addition to alleging his involvement in the creation of the “Congo River Alliance,” described as the political wing of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel movement.
Kabila’s trial in absentia began on July 25, after his immunity was lifted as a “senator for life.” At the conclusion of the hearings, the court issued the death sentence along with an order to pay massive financial compensation to the state and to victims.
Although the death penalty has not been carried out in the Congo for more than two decades, the government’s lifting of the moratorium in 2024 reignited debate over its possible implementation.
Despite remaining in power for 18 years, Kabila’s legacy has long been controversial: some view him as a “savior” who oversaw the country’s first peaceful transfer of power in 2019, while others accuse him of entrenching corruption and weakening state institutions.
After years of absence, Kabila reappeared last May in Goma, a city under M23 control, where he delivered a fiery speech calling for an “end to dictatorship” and declaring his readiness to “play his role” in the country’s next phase.
This unexpected return alarmed Kinshasa, which quickly moved to strip him of his immunity and launch his trial, at a time when the country’s east is experiencing escalating armed violence and dwindling state authority.
Despite the verdict, the chances of Kabila’s arrest or the enforcement of the death penalty remain slim amid uncertainty about his whereabouts.
What is certain, however, is that this case marks a watershed moment in Congolese history, highlighting the overlap of political struggle and armed conflict, and raising pressing questions about the future of stability in a country long plagued by wars and divisions.