A military court in the DRC has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia after convicting him of war crimes, treason and other grave charges, court officials announced Tuesday.
The verdict, delivered by a High Military Court in Kinshasa, found Kabila guilty of a range of offenses including treason, insurrection, conspiracy, murder, torture, sexual assault and crimes against humanity.
Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the tribunal, publicly read the sentence.
Kabila, who has not appeared in court and whose current whereabouts are unknown, has denied all charges. He has been on trial in absentia since July 2025.
Background and charges
The case centers on allegations that Kabila colluded with the M23 rebel group, which has seized territory in eastern Congo, and that he aided in planning or supporting insurrectionist activities.
Prosecutors also accused him of crimes including murder, rape and torture committed in the context of conflicts in the region.
In August, a military prosecutor formally petitioned the court to impose the death penalty on Kabila, and also sought prison terms of 20 years for alleged condoning of war crimes and 15 years for conspiracy. At that time, Kabila’s legal team argued that the proceedings were politically motivated.
Earlier in 2025, the DRC Senate voted to strip Kabila of his lifelong immunity as a senator, allowing prosecutors to move forward with charges.
Kabila led the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2001 until 2019, when he stepped down under pressure following nationwide protests and political turmoil.
Since late 2023, he has largely been living abroad, though he made a brief appearance in Goma in April 2025 a rebel-held city in eastern Congo.
