Former Congolese president sentenced to dying for battle crimes

[ad_1] Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has been sentenced to dying in absentia for battle crimes and treason.

The costs concern accusations that Kabila has been supporting the M23, a insurgent group who've wreaked devastation throughout the nation's jap area.

Kabila was convicted on Friday by a navy courtroom of treason, crimes towards humanity, and battle crimes, together with homicide, sexual assault, torture and revolt. He denied the fees, however didn't seem in courtroom to defend himself.

The ex-president rejected the case as "arbitrary" and mentioned the courts had been getting used as an "instrument of oppression". His present whereabouts are unknown.

The courtroom additionally ordered him to pay a fantastic of $33bn (£25bn).

One in every of his allies and a former minister, Kikaya Bin Karubi, instructed the BBC's Newsday programme that the entire trial had been "theatrical" and was an instance of the dictatorship of President Félix Tshisekedi. He mentioned the courtroom had not seen any proof linking Kabila to the M23 insurgent group.

M23 chief Bertrand Bisimwa mentioned on X that the sentence was a violation of the peace talks which had been underway with the federal government.

Kabila, 54, led DR Congo for 18 years, after succeeding his father Laurent, who was shot useless in 2001.

Kabila backed Tshisekedi within the disputed 2019 elections, however they later fell out and Kabila went into self-imposed exile in 2023.

In April this yr, the previous president mentioned he wished to assist discover a resolution to the lethal combating within the east and arrived within the M23-held metropolis of Goma the next month.

President Tshisekedi accused Kabila of being the brains behind the M23 and senators stripped him of his legal immunity , paving the way in which for his prosecution.

A long time of battle had escalated earlier this yr when the M23 seized management of enormous components of the mineral-rich east, together with Goma, town of Bukavu and two airports.

Pointing to overwhelming proof, the UN and several other Western international locations have accused neighbouring Rwanda of backing the M23, and sending 1000's of its troopers into DR Congo.