Kinshasa, September 30th, 2025 (CPA).- Joseph Kabila, former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was sentenced to death on Tuesday with immediate arrest by the High Military Court during his trial against the military prosecutor’s office for war crimes and crimes against peace, among other charges. ‘The High Military Court sentences the defendant Joseph Kabila to death for war crimes involving torture, rape, condoning war crimes, treason, insurrectionary movement (…) The High Court also orders him to pay the costs of the proceedings and orders his immediate arrest,’ said Lieutenant General Mutombo Katalay, Chief Justice of the court. « Ruling on civil actions, the defendant shall pay the sum of USD 29 billion to the civil party of the DRC; five (5) billion for damages, five (5) billion for loss of earnings, nine (9) billion for the destruction of schools, five (5) billion in damages and interest, two (2) billion to the civil party in North Kivu and two (2) billion USD to South Kivu, » he added.
At the hearing to reopen the proceedings on September 19th, the magistrate of the military prosecutor’s office reiterated his closing speech, asking the High Court to sentence former President Joseph Kabila to death for participating in an insurrectionary movement, crimes against humanity through rape, killings by shooting and condoning terrorism. He also requested the seizure of former President Joseph Kabila’s assets and his immediate arrest. ‘We reiterate, Mr President, our closing arguments and ask you to take them into account in your deliberations,’ said Brigadier General Kiamandja. For their part, the civil parties DRC, the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and an organization defending the interests of the victims also reiterated their arguments. ‘Given the seriousness of the acts committed by the defendant Joseph Kabila, it is important that the High Court, in addition to reclassifying the offence from treason to espionage, reassess the damages to be awarded to the civil parties at US
$31,000,000,’ added Mr Jean Marie Kabengela Ilunga. ‘The denial of Congolese nationality to the defendant Kabila is not an invention of the Republic’s lawyers,’ he insisted, stating that they had referred to statements made by certain individuals and public figures on this subject. He also informed the High Military Court that there is no doubt that Kabila is Rwandan and came to the DRC as a spy. The indictment of Senator for Life Joseph Kabila stems from the fact that the country is facing aggression from Rwanda through the AFC-M23 coalition in North Kivu and South Kivu. The latter had decided to return to the country from Namibia, where he was staying, via Goma, according to the Republic’s lawyers.