Former President Joseph Kabila Sentenced To Death In Absentia In RD Congo

Illustrations (VOI)

JAKARTA - The High Military Court of the Democratic Republic (RD) of Congo on Tuesday sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in a absentia, Anadolu news agency reported.

Kabila was found guilty on a number of charges, ranging from involvement in the movement of rebellion, treason, torture, to war crimes, based on court decisions in the capital Kinshasa.

The trial against Kabila has been held since July, after in May the Senate lifted its parliamentary immunity.

The court said that Kabila was involved in the violent acts allegedly carried out by M23 rebels in several provinces in eastern Congo.

In the indictment, he is said to have attended meetings for hostilities and conducted inspections at M23 training centers in Goma and Bukavu.

Kabila memimpin RD Congo dari 2001 hingga 2019. Sejak 2023, ia banyak menghabiskan waktu di Afrika Selatan.

However, earlier this year he returned to public in eastern Congo and expressed his desire to go home to "contributive to finding a solution to the ongoing crisis."

East Congo is currently facing one of Africa's most prolonged conflicts. Since January, the security situation has deteriorated, with reports of new fighting between government forces and M23 rebels that seized a number of strategic areas, including Goma and Bukavu.

Although in July there was a ceasefire between the Congo government and the rebel group coalition through the Declaration of Principles in Doha, Qatar, the situation on the ground was still at the crossroads between the peace process and the new fighting.