Congo’s public prosecutor has asked for the death penalty for former President Joseph Kabila, who is currently being tried in absentia for war crimes. The former president is facing a trial on serious charges, including war crimes, murder, and rape related to his nearly 20-year rule of the nation. Kabila took office at the age of 29 in 2001 after his father was assassinated and continued to rule until 2019.
He is also accused by the Congolese government of providing support to the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. Kabila’s supporters have powerfully argued that this entire trial is an aggressive and politically motivated effort against him.
His presidential immunity was revoked in May, which analysts viewed as a powerful step toward his eventual prosecution. In court on Friday, the prosecution also asked for a 20-year sentence for war crimes and 15 years for conspiracy.
A former minister under Kabila and current head of his party called the court proceedings a “disgrace for the Republic.” A researcher said the prosecutor’s demands seem to be more of a “settling of scores session than a quest for truth.”
Kabila had been in self-imposed exile since 2023 but arrived in the rebel-held city of Goma in April. His current whereabouts are still unknown and no date has been set for the sentencing.