The Military Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to deliver its verdict against former president Joseph Kabila in a high-profile treason case.
Kabila will not be physically present in court during the session. Current President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi is also absent from the country, as he is attending engagements in Kazakhstan.
On August 22, 2025, military prosecutors requested the death penalty for Kabila, along with an international arrest order to ensure his detention wherever he may be found.
He faces charges of conspiring against the state and collaborating with armed groups destabilizing eastern Congo.
The Congolese government accuses the former head of state of working with AFC/M23, a political-military movement that has captured large areas in the east and is currently pressing toward the city of Uvira near the Burundian border.
Authorities in Kinshasa argue that such ties amount to betrayal of the nation at a time when government forces are struggling to contain the rebellion.
The case has heightened political tensions in the DRC, where Kabila still retains a network of allies and supporters.
The court’s ruling is expected to carry major implications not only for the country’s security crisis but also for its fragile political landscape.