In a dramatic and unprecedented move, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has initiated legal proceedings against its former president, Joseph Kabila Kabange, over allegations of “direct participation” in armed aggression against the country. The announcement was made on April 19, 2025, through an official communiqué issued by Constant Mutamba, the Minister of State in charge of Justice and holder of the seals.
The statement accuses Kabila of collaborating with the M23 rebel movement, known formally as the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23). The group currently occupies significant portions of the eastern region of the DRC, a hotspot of long-standing conflict.
According to the communiqué, formal instructions have been sent to both the Auditor General of the Armed Forces and the Attorney-General at the Court of Cassation to commence legal action. The Ministry of Justice has also called for the immediate seizure of all movable and immovable property belonging to Kabila.
In a sweeping move to secure the investigation, the Justice Ministry has imposed movement restrictions on Kabila’s close collaborators, who are also suspected of involvement in what the government labels “high treason.”
This announcement signals a bold shift in the DRC’s political and judicial landscape. For the first time since leaving office in 2019, Joseph Kabila—who ruled the country for 18 years—is being directly implicated in fueling the rebellion that has plunged the eastern regions into ongoing violence.
The legal proceedings come amid growing public frustration and calls for accountability regarding the DRC’s protracted insecurity, especially in provinces such as North Kivu and Ituri, where M23 has maintained strongholds.
