Announcing the verdict in Kinshasa, Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the military tribunal, said Kabila was found guilty of treason, crimes against humanity, premeditated murder, sexual assault, torture, and insurrection.
Kabila, who led the DRC for nearly two decades, has lived mostly in Southern Africa since late 2023, although he appeared earlier this year in Goma â€" one of the cities recently captured by the M23 rebel group fighting against government coalition forces.
The trial began on July 25, 2025, without Kabila's presence. Prosecutors accused him of treason, leading an unauthorized armed group, rape, and torture, arguing that these acts were committed in his alleged role as a leader of the AFC/M23.
While prosecutors demanded the death penalty, government lawyers also requested that Kabila's assets be seized and that he be fined USD 24 billion.
Kabila publicly dismissed the proceedings on September 2, describing the trial as politically motivated and intended to deflect attention from the government's alleged mismanagement and corruption.
A ruling on those requests was initially expected on September 12 but was postponed to September 30.
IGIHE
