Congo Prosecutor Demands Death Penalty for Ex-President Joseph Kabila

Edited By: Tendai Zola

A Congolese prosecutor has requested the death penalty against former President Joseph Kabila, who is being tried in absentia for treason, war crimes, and alleged support for the M23 rebel group.

Kabila, who led the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2001 to 2019, assumed power at age 29 after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. His presidency was marked by delayed elections, political unrest, and enduring insecurity in the east.

Authorities accuse him of backing M23 rebels, who have captured key towns in eastern Congo with support from Rwanda, according to Kinshasa. Kabila’s return from exile earlier this year, when he appeared in Goma fueled suspicions of his ties with the insurgency. His current location remains unknown.

In court, the prosecutor asked for 20 years for condoning war crimes and 15 years for conspiracy, alongside the death penalty for treason. Kabila lost his immunity as senator-for-life in May.

His allies denounce the trial as politically motivated, while observers warn of a process resembling “a settling of scores” more than genuine justice.