Former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala appeared in a Paris court Wednesday, denying French jurisdiction over his alleged atrocities. The 67-year-old faces complicity in crimes against humanity for actions during the Second Congo War from 1998 to 2003, the world’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
Lumbala, arrested in France in December 2020 where he owned property, has been held in a Paris prison ever since. He is tried under universal jurisdiction, allowing France to prosecute foreign nationals for crimes committed abroad, provided they reside in France.
As proceedings opened, Lumbala portrayed himself as a former trade minister and lawmaker, contesting the court’s authority and evoking colonial injustices. “France is not competent to judge me, you will judge me alone,” he declared before later refusing to attend further hearings.
Investigators accuse him of overseeing Uganda-backed rebel fighters from the RCD-N who pillaged, executed, raped, and mutilated with impunity in Ituri and Haut-Uele provinces.
Charges focus on 2002-2003 attacks targeting Nande and Bambuti communities, with rape reportedly used as a deliberate weapon of war. United Nations inquiries link the militia’s campaign to securing regional resources, including gold, diamonds, and coltan used in mobile devices.
Lumbala insists he was only a politician, not a commander, and faces life imprisonment if convicted for his alleged crimes. Amnesty International called the trial “historic,” marking the first universal jurisdiction case for Second Congo War atrocities committed by a Congolese national.
Dozens of victims are expected to testify before a verdict is delivered on December 19, though some may struggle to attend amid logistical challenges.