Kabila on Trial: Ex-President Faces War Crimes and Treason Charges in DRC

The charges are nothing short of seismic.

According to the court docket seen by Cameroon Concord News, Kabila faces nine major counts, including:

• Participation in an insurrectional movement,

• Crimes against peace and human security,

• Intentional homicide by gunfire (17 civilians reportedly killed in Munzizi),

• Treason,

• Advocacy of criminal activity (notably through an interview with the Sunday Times),

• Rape of a 22-year-old woman in Bukavu,

• Torture,

• Deportation,

• Unlawful military occupation of the city of Goma.

The trial is being heard in public session at the New Palais de Justice in Kinshasa-Gombe. Despite the gravity of the charges, Joseph Kabila was not present in court when the session opened at 9:00 a.m. local time.

The explosive charges are likely to trigger intense political reactions in the DRC and beyond. Already, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, Permanent Secretary of Kabila’s party, the PPRD, has denounced the proceedings as “a political witch hunt” and “a shameful charade intended to erase a key figure in the nation’s recent history.”

“This is not a trial; it’s persecution,” Shadary told local press. “The sentence is already written. The rest is theatre.”

Opposition figures have questioned the legitimacy of trying a former head of state before a military court, while others argue that the charges — including war crimes — fall within military jurisdiction.

Adding fuel to the political fire, several observers have raised concerns over what they call the “weaponisation of justice” under the current UDPS regime, particularly after the resignation of Karim Khan from the International Criminal Court, which reportedly weakened international scrutiny on Kinshasa.

A leaked court note describes Kabila’s profession as “Senator for Life”, prompting ridicule among legal experts and journalists questioning whether that is a valid legal status or mere ceremonial flair.

The case is expected to deepen political polarisation in the DRC, especially with elections looming and the ruling regime battling accusations of authoritarian drift.

Cameroon Concord News will continue monitoring developments in this unprecedented trial.