A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, convicting him of war crimes, treason, crimes against humanity, murder, torture, and insurrection. The ruling, delivered in Kinshasa on 30 September 2025, marks one of the most dramatic turns in the country’s turbulent political history and deepens the bitter rivalry between Kabila and his successor, Félix Tshisekedi.
Kabila, who first rose to power in 2001 after the assassination of his father Laurent-Désiré Kabila, ruled the country for nearly two decades. His long presidency was marked by recurring violence in the mineral-rich east, accusations of corruption, and resistance to constitutional limits on his tenure. He eventually stepped down in 2019 under the weight of mass protests and mounting international pressure, paving the way for a contested transfer of power to Tshisekedi.
In its ruling, the military tribunal accused Kabila of backing the M23 rebel group, which has been battling government forces in eastern Congo. Judges held him responsible for atrocities ranging from rape and torture to murder and insurrection, painting him as a figure who not only presided over state collapse but also actively conspired against the very nation he once led. Tried without appearing in court and without legal representation, he was convicted on all counts and ordered to pay nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars in damages to the Congolese state and victims.
Since late 2023, Kabila has spent much of his time in South Africa, keeping a low profile. Yet his surprise appearance in Goma, a city then under the control of M23 rebels in May 2025, renewed accusations from Kinshasa that he was directly collaborating with insurgents. That move has since been cited as proof of his complicity in the rebellion.
Kabila has rejected the accusations as politically motivated, insisting that Tshisekedi’s government is using the courts to eliminate him and dismantle his political movement. His party has already been suspended and his assets seized, further weakening his position in Congo’s political landscape.
Although the court has pronounced the death penalty, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has not carried out an execution since 2003. Analysts suggest the sentence is more symbolic than enforceable, intended to strip Kabila of legitimacy and dissuade any future political ambitions. Still, the ruling has stirred fresh concerns over fairness and due process, with critics describing the trial as a political witch-hunt disguised as justice.
The timing could hardly be more volatile. Fighting continues to rage in eastern Congo despite international mediation efforts, and the appearance of Kabila in rebel territory has only deepened suspicions of his involvement. The verdict risks hardening divisions, inflaming supporters of the former president, and complicating fragile peace efforts in a region already scarred by decades of conflict.
For Tshisekedi’s allies, however, the conviction signals a long-overdue reckoning for a man they say plunged Congo into years of impunity and lawlessness. For his critics, it is a warning of how far the state will go to eliminate opponents. Either way, the judgment ensures that Joseph Kabila, once the unshakable leader of Africa’s second-largest country, remains at the center of Congo’s storm.
