The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced that it will begin legal proceedings against Joseph Kabila Kabange, the former president of the country, after accusing him of high-level treason.
Kinshasa revealed this plan shortly after Kabila returned to Goma, a city currently under the control of the M23 rebel group, following a period of exile in Zimbabwe.
In a statement released late last night, the Minister of Justice of the DRC confirmed that the Chief Auditor of the Armed Forces (FARDC) and the Prosecutor General of the Court of Cassation had initiated legal proceedings against Kabila.
Minister Constant Mutamba accused Kabila of “direct involvement in the Rwandan-led aggression through the terrorist group AFC/M23.”
Kabila has not made any public statements regarding his return to the country or the accusations leveled against him by the Kinshasa government. However, he has repeatedly denied allegations that he is the main sponsor of the M23, as claimed by the government.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Kanyuka, the spokesperson for the M23, stated that there is no issue with Kabila being in the city of Goma under the group’s control.
In addition to legal action, Minister Mutamba also mentioned that Kabila’s movable and immovable property has been seized, and measures have been taken to restrict the movements of those “working with him in this high-level treason activity.”
The DRC government confirmed that Kabila’s properties in areas such as Kingakati, Kashamata, and GLM have already been seized.
Furthermore, in a statement by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Shabani Lukoo Bihango, it was announced that Kabila’s political party, the PPRD, has been suspended nationwide due to the alleged role its leader played in the conflict.
The PPRD has not yet made any public statements regarding the suspension.
Kabila, 53, who currently serves as a senator in the DRC, ruled the country for 18 years from 2001, following the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila.
The M23 group, which Kabila is accused of collaborating with between 2012 and 2013, fought against the DRC’s military, which Kabila led as Commander-in-Chief. However, the group was eventually defeated, forcing its members to flee to Uganda and Rwanda.
