The Democratic Republic of Congo is witnessing a historic courtroom drama as former President Joseph Kabila stands trial in absentia, facing accusations of treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. On Friday, military prosecutor General Lucien René Likulia did not mince words — he asked the court to hand down the death penalty, plus extra jail terms tied to Kabila’s alleged role in atrocities during his 18 years in power.
For many Congolese, this moment feels like the past finally catching up. Kabila, who became president in 2001 at just 29 after his father’s assassination, ruled through two turbulent decades marred by wars, corruption scandals, and a controversial election delay that kept him in power beyond his mandate. The weight of those years is now being revisited in a courtroom that could change the course of Congolese history.
The allegations run deep. Authorities claim Kabila’s fingerprints are on war crimes including killings and sexual violence, as well as direct support for the M23 rebels who have terrorized eastern Congo. President Félix Tshisekedi even accused him of plotting an insurrection, pointing to his surprising reappearance last April in the rebel-controlled city of Goma — a move many saw as symbolic and defiant.
General Likulia’s demands were severe: death for treason, 20 years for showing sympathy toward war crimes, and 15 years for conspiracy. While Kabila denies all accusations and his current whereabouts remain unknown, the case has left the nation divided between those who see justice finally at work and those who fear this trial could open old wounds.
Whether Kabila is ever caught or not, the fact that a former head of state is being tried on such charges speaks volumes about how Congo is wrestling with its painful past. The sentencing date has not yet been set, but one thing is clear: this trial is shaking the foundations of Congolese politics and testing the strength of its fragile democracy.
