A military prosecutor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is seeking the death penalty for former President Joseph Kabila, who is being tried in absentia.
General Lucien Rene Likulia, the Congolese military auditor general, told judges on Friday that Kabila should be sentenced for treason, war crimes, homicide, torture, and organising an insurrection.
Accused of Backing M23 Rebels
Kabila went on trial in July in his absence. He is accused of supporting the M23 rebels, a Rwanda-backed group that has seized large areas of mineral-rich eastern DRC this year.
The charge sheet also links him to the forcible occupation of Goma, which M23 fighters captured in January before agreeing to a ceasefire in July.
Political Party Calls Trial “Persecution”
Kabila, who has lived outside the DRC for two years, dismissed the proceedings as “an instrument of oppression.”
His party officials described the trial as “an act of relentlessness and persecution against a member of the opposition.”
Kabila’s Political Influence and Return Attempts
Kabila ruled the DRC for nearly two decades before stepping down in 2018. He has mostly stayed in South Africa since leaving in 2023.
In April, he announced plans to return to help restore peace in the east. The government responded by banning his political party, seizing his assets, and lifting his immunity in May.
In late May, he appeared in rebel-held areas, meeting local leaders alongside M23’s spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka. President Felix Tshisekedi later branded Kabila as “the brains behind M23.”
Links to Congo River Alliance (AFC)
Prosecutors allege Kabila is a founding member of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), the political arm of M23. They accuse him of colluding with Rwanda to overthrow the government and of being responsible for atrocities in North and South Kivu provinces.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing M23. However, UN experts report that Rwanda’s army played a critical role in the rebels’ recent offensives.
M23 Denies Ties to Kabila
M23 leaders and the AFC’s executive secretary, Benjamin Mbonimpa, rejected claims of Kabila’s involvement. They dismissed the trial as part of a “malevolent strategy” against him.
Conflict in Eastern DRC Escalates
Eastern DRC has faced conflict for more than three decades, with dozens of armed groups competing for control. The resurgence of M23 in 2021 has escalated violence, displacing thousands and destabilising the resource-rich region.
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