On September 30, 2025, the High Military Court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo found Kabila guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, treason, and allegedly leading an unauthorized armed group. The court sentenced him to death.
The ruling also ordered Kabila to pay 33 billion US dollars in damages for destruction attributed to the AFC/M23 coalition.
According to Radio Okapi, CCDH coordinator Eloi Lubilansam denounced the verdict, emphasizing that 'justice must never become a political weapon or an instrument of revenge'.
He also reminded that Joseph Kabila, like any defendant, is entitled to a fair defense, the presumption of innocence, and an impartial judge.
Ferdinand Kambere, deputy general secretary of Kabila's People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) said the trial aimed to silence opposition voices.
'This trial has no other purpose than to silence a man who worked for the reunification, pacification, and democratization of the country. It is a political and unfair conviction aimed at erasing a dissenting voice,' he said.
Joseph Kabila ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019 before handing power to President Félix Tshisekedi. On September 2, Kabila rejected the accusations, calling them false and politically motivated.
IGIHE
