The Democratic Republic of Congo’s political landscape was shaken on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, after a military court in Kinshasa sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia.
The 54-year-old, who ruled Africa’s second-largest nation for nearly two decades, was convicted of treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
According to court findings, Kabila allegedly supported the M23 rebel group, which has been accused of mass killings, rape, and torture in eastern Congo. Judges also ruled that he enabled insurrection and human rights abuses that displaced thousands of civilians while betraying the Congolese state by aiding rebel advances in the country’s mineral-rich territories.
The court ordered him to pay billions in damages to both the Congolese state and victims of the atrocities.
Kabila, who has lived in self-exile since relations soured with his successor President Félix Tshisekedi, was not present at the trial. He dismissed the ruling as “politically motivated” and described the court as an “instrument of oppression.” His current whereabouts remain unknown.
The verdict marks one of the harshest judgments ever handed down against a former African head of state. It also deepens Congo’s political divisions at a time when Tshisekedi’s government is under increasing pressure to stabilize the conflict-ridden east.
However, human rights groups have voiced concerns about due process, noting that Kabila was tried without being physically present in court.
The conflict in eastern Congo, fueled by the M23 rebellion and alleged Rwandan involvement, continues to devastate communities. Despite a ceasefire announced in July, violence has persisted.
For many, the sentence signals a bold attempt by Congo’s leadership to project zero tolerance for war crimes and treason. Yet, whether the ruling will ever be enforced remains highly uncertain.
