By Abiola Olawale
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has thrust former President Joseph Kabila into the spotlight as his treason trial commenced in a military court in the country’s capital, Kinshasa.
Kabila is facing charges, including treason, murder, and supporting an insurrectionist movement.
The New Diplomat reports that Kabila, who led the DRC for 18 years until 2019, has been accused of backing the M23 rebels, a Rwandan-supported militia that has seized several territories in the eastern part of the DRC.
The charges also include murder and the forcible occupation of Goma, a key city now under rebel control.
Kabila, 53, has denied all allegations, dismissing the trial as “arbitrary” and an “instrument of oppression” orchestrated by his successor, President Félix Tshisekedi.
The trial follows a May 2025 decision by the DRC Senate to strip Kabila of his immunity as a senator for life, paving the way for his prosecution.
The move is coming after the DRC authorities claimed that they have a “substantial body of documents, testimony, and material facts” linking Kabila to the M23 rebels.
Recall that Tshisekedi had publicly accused Kabila of masterminding the rebellion, escalating tensions between the two leaders who once shared a fragile power-sharing agreement after the disputed 2019 election.
