Kabila’s treason trial sparks intense political debate

The treason trial of former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, which kicked off on Friday in a mlitary court in Kinshasa, despite his absence, has sparked anger and condemnation from his supporters and allies, who believe that the outcome has been pre-determined, notes Legalbrief. According to BBC News he also faces other charges, including murder and rape, linked to his alleged support for M23 rebels – who control a large part of the mineral-rich east of the country. He denies the charges, did not appear at the hearing and has asked to be tried in absentia. Kabila's successor, President Félix Tshisekedi, has accused him of being the brains behind the rebels. The ex-President has rejected the case as ‘arbitrary’ and said the courts were being used as an ‘instrument of oppression’. After several hours, Friday's trial was adjourned to the end of the month, following a request by prosecutors for extra time to review documents. A ceasefire deal between the rebels and the government was agreed last week, but fighting has continued. Kabila had been living outside the country for two years, but arrived in the rebel-held city of Goma, in eastern DRC, from self-imposed exile in South Africa in May.

Pointing to overwhelming evidence, the UN and several Western countries have accused neighbouring Rwanda of backing the M23, and sending thousands of its soldiers into DRC. But Kigali denies the charges, saying it is acting to stop the conflict from spilling over onto its territory. Former Presidents in DRC serve as senators for life and enjoy lifetime immunity. But in May, Kabila's fellow senators stripped his immunity to allow his prosecution on charges that include torture, taking part in an insurrectionist movement, and the forcible occupation of Goma, reports BBC News. According to AFP, the charge sheet describes Kabila as ‘one of the initiators of the Congo River Alliance’ – the wider rebel grouping which includes the M23 and other militia. Kabila has been accused of conspiring with Rwanda to remove Tshisekedi from power. Both parties deny this. The 54-year-old led the DRC for 18 years, after succeeding his father Laurent, who was shot dead in 2001. Joseph Kabila was just 29 at the time.

The trial has sparked intense political debate and drawn sharp reactions from his allies and the government, reports the Eastleigh Voice. Ferdinand Kambere, a senior figure in Kabila’s now-banned PPRD party, accused the government of ‘double standards’, saying it was lenient in its peace talks but harsh towards the former President. He claimed the case was meant to force Kabila out of political life. Another close associate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, described the case as ‘theatre’ and said the outcome was already predetermined. But Deputy Justice Minister Samuel Mbemba dismissed the criticism, stating: ‘Justice does not negotiate, it does not join in dialogue. The calendar for justice is different from the political calendar.’ Kabila has openly criticised the current administration. In a video published in May and later taken down, he described the Congolese Government as a ‘dictatorship' and said the country was witnessing a ‘decline of democracy’. In response, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said Kabila had ‘nothing to offer the country’.

Meanwhile, militants backed by the ‘Islamic State’ group attacked a Catholic church in eastern DRC, leaving at least 43 people dead. The attack put an end to months-long calm in the region, reports DW. The attack was apparently carrried out by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels on Sunday. Nine children were among those killed, according to Monusco, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country. According to reports, houses and shops surrounding the church were also set ablaze by the rebels. ‘These targeted attacks on defenceless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only revolting but also contrary to all norms of human rights and international humanitarian law,’ the mission's deputy chief, Vivian van de Perre, said in a statement. In February, 23 people had died in an attack by the ADF in the province's Mambasa territory. The Congolese army condemned what it described as a ‘large-scale massacre’ on Sunday. It said the ADF had decided to take ‘revenge on defenceless peaceful populations to spread terror’. Eastern Congo is considered as one of the world's most dangerous regions. Nearly 130 different armed groups are said to be active across the country, many of which are focused on controlling the region's vast and valuable reserves of natural resources like coltan, cobalt, gold and diamonds. Hostilities earlier this year between Congolese forces and the M23 rebel group ended in a truce on 19 July. The ADF is a long-standing insurgent group originating in Uganda and operating in eastern Congo. They have been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. The group often uses hatchets and machetes to carry out attacks. In 2019, the ADF pledged allegiance to the ‘Islamic State’ group.