Civil parties in the ongoing treason trial of former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila are seeking nearly $46 billion in reparations, accusing him of responsibility for widespread violence in the country’s conflict-ridden east.
The charges against Kabila include murder, rape, torture, and treason, linked to his alleged support for the M23 rebels, a Rwanda-backed militia that controls large parts of North Kivu province. President Félix Tshisekedi, Kabila’s successor, has previously accused him of being the mastermind behind the group.
At a military court in Kinshasa, lawyers representing victims demanded $25 billion in compensation for atrocities committed by rebels. They also described Kabila as a “Rwandan citizen,” urging the court to convict him of espionage. Meanwhile, the provinces of South Kivu, Ituri, and North Kivu have requested an additional $21 billion in damages, as well as the seizure of the former president’s financial assets.
Kabila, who spent two years in self-imposed exile in South Africa, returned to Goma in May after the city fell to M23 rebels. However, he is being tried in absentia. He has denied all allegations, insisting he is neither behind the rebels nor a founder of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a broader coalition of armed groups including M23.
Describing the case as “arbitrary,” Kabila accused the Congolese courts of being used as an “instrument of oppression.”
Although former presidents in the DRC normally enjoy lifetime immunity as senators-for-life, Kabila was stripped of his legal protections in May, paving the way for his prosecution.
The army’s attorney general is scheduled to present his closing arguments on Friday.
