A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo handed down a death sentence to former president Joseph Kabila after convicting him of crimes against humanity and treason. The court found Kabiba guilty of collaborating with M23 rebels who captured significant eastern territory earlier this year with support from Rwanda. Prosecutors accused him of leading the armed group through meetings and training center inspections during nearly 20 years as president from 2001 to 2019.
The six-judge panel ordered Kabila to pay $33 billion in damages, split between the Congolese government and the two provinces that were invaded. His political party dismissed the proceedings as illegitimate theater since he remained absent throughout the trial. Kabila fled into exile in 2023 after his alliance with successor Felix Tshisekedi collapsed following the disputed 2018 election. His current location remains unknown after he visited rebel-controlled Goma and criticized the government during a livestreamed address in May.`
The six-judge panel ordered Kabila to pay $33 billion in damages, split between the Congolese government and the two provinces that were invaded. His political party dismissed the proceedings as illegitimate theater since he remained absent throughout the trial. Kabila fled into exile in 2023 after his alliance with successor Felix Tshisekedi collapsed following the disputed 2018 election. His current location remains unknown after he visited rebel-controlled Goma and criticized the government during a livestreamed address in May.`
