Khaberni - The Supreme Military Court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced former President Joseph Kabila in absentia to death for high treason and committing war crimes.
Kabila, who has been tried in absentia since July and whose current whereabouts are unknown, was accused of treason, involvement in a rebellion, conspiracy, and supporting terrorism. The attorney general requested the death penalty for him.
The government stated that Kabila collaborated with Rwanda and the "M23" rebel movement, which took control of major cities in eastern Congo in a swift attack in January and has occupied the cities since then.
Kabila had denied the charges against him, as reported by the "Associated Press".
Presidential immunity for Kabila was removed in May 2025, which analysts at the time considered a step towards his eventual trial.
Kabila has been in self-imposed exile since 2023 until last April, when he arrived in Goma, a city controlled by rebels after they captured it in a rapid assault.
It is worth noting that Kabila assumed the presidency at the age of 29 after his father, former President Laurent Kabila, was assassinated.
The former president extended his term by delaying elections for two years after it ended in 2017.
