{"id":18174,"date":"2025-08-22T21:47:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T19:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/?p=18174"},"modified":"2025-08-22T21:47:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T19:47:25","slug":"drc-republic-demands-over-24-billion-usd-from-joseph-kabila-and-seeks-reclassification-of-charges-to-espionage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/drc-republic-demands-over-24-billion-usd-from-joseph-kabila-and-seeks-reclassification-of-charges-to-espionage\/","title":{"rendered":"DRC: Republic Demands Over 24 Billion USD from Joseph Kabila and Seeks Reclassification of Charges to Espionage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-1\"><span class=\"s1\">The request to reclassify the offense is far from trivial. Under Congolese law, espionage is considered an extremely serious crime, associated with direct threats to national security and the country\u2019s sovereignty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-2\"><span class=\"s1\">According to the prosecution, Kabila\u2019s alleged actions go beyond political or institutional treason, involving supposed collusion with foreign powers that led to decisions contrary to the strategic interests of the DRC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-3\"><span class=\"s1\">A legal expert close to the case explains:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-rm-block-id=\"block-4\"><p><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIf the Court accepts the reclassification, the former president would face much harsher penalties, not only legally but also symbolically, since espionage places the accused in the category of enemies of the state.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-5\"><span class=\"s1\">The requested sum\u2014<\/span><span class=\"s2\">24 billion USD<\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u2014alone represents nearly half of the DRC\u2019s national budget for 2025. It is presented as an estimate of the economic and financial losses allegedly caused by Kabila\u2019s administration, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-6\"><span class=\"s1\">Unfavorable mining contracts<\/span><span class=\"s2\"> with foreign multinational companies;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-7\"><span class=\"s1\">Lost tax revenue<\/span><span class=\"s2\"> linked to strategic mineral exports;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-8\"><span class=\"s1\">Misappropriation of public funds<\/span><span class=\"s2\"> during Kabila\u2019s 18-year presidency.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-9\"><span class=\"s1\">For the Republic\u2019s lawyers, this compensation should set a <\/span><span class=\"s2\">precedent<\/span><span class=\"s1\"> and remind that Congo\u2019s natural resources \u201cbelong to the people and cannot be squandered at the expense of the nation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-10\"><span class=\"s1\">This case goes far beyond the judicial sphere. It unfolds amid political realignment in the DRC and the country\u2019s engagement with strategic partners, including the United States, the European Union, and China.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-11\"><span class=\"s1\">Internally<\/span><span class=\"s2\">, the proceedings further weaken Kabila\u2019s former regime and could reshape the balance of power in provinces where his influence remains strong.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-12\"><span class=\"s1\">Regionally<\/span><span class=\"s2\">, espionage accusations indirectly touch neighboring countries previously accused of complicity or agreements with Kinshasa under Kabila, potentially reigniting diplomatic tensions.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-13\"><span class=\"s1\">Economically<\/span><span class=\"s2\">, foreign investors are closely watching, as the case raises questions about the legitimacy of certain mining contracts signed during Kabila\u2019s presidency.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-14\"><span class=\"s1\">Kabila supporters<\/span><span class=\"s2\"> denounce judicial persecution and describe the proceedings as a \u201cwitch hunt\u201d orchestrated by the current government to permanently sideline a political rival.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-15\"><span class=\"s1\">Government supporters<\/span><span class=\"s2\"> argue it is a case of restorative justice and a strong signal against elite impunity.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-16\"><span class=\"s1\">Civil society observers see this trial as a test of the Congolese judiciary\u2019s ability to withstand political pressure and adjudicate sensitive cases involving the nation\u2019s highest leaders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-17\"><span class=\"s1\">The Court must now decide on two key points:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-18\"><span class=\"s1\">The <\/span><span class=\"s2\">admissibility of the request to reclassify<\/span><span class=\"s1\"> the charges as espionage.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-19\"><span class=\"s1\">The <\/span><span class=\"s2\">assessment of the requested compensation amount<\/span><span class=\"s1\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"p1\" data-rm-block-id=\"block-20\"><span class=\"s1\">Regardless of the outcome, this case will remain historic: never before has a former Congolese president faced such intense judicial scrutiny and potential penalties of this financial and symbolic magnitude.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The request to reclassify the offense is far from trivial. Under Congolese law, espionage is considered an extremely serious crime, associated with direct threats to national security and the country\u2019s sovereignty. According to the prosecution, Kabila\u2019s alleged actions go beyond political or institutional treason, involving supposed collusion with foreign powers that led to decisions contrary [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":18092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"float","share_float_style":"share-normal","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"0","show_post_related":"0","show_inline_post_related":"0"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"The trial involving former President Joseph Kabila has taken a new turn. This week, the Republic\u2019s lawyers submitted a plea requesting that the original charge of treason be reclassified as espionage, while also demanding that the former head of state pay 24 billion US dollars in compensation for damages suffered by the Congolese state."},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_review":[],"enable_review":"","type":"percentage","name":"","summary":"","brand":"","sku":"","good":[],"bad":[],"score_override":"","override_value":"","rating":[],"price":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"jnews_post_split":{"post_split":[{"template":"1","tag":"h2","numbering":"asc","mode":"normal","first":"0","enable_toc":"0","toc_type":"normal"}]},"footnotes":""},"categories":[5314,5311,5316],"tags":[5601],"class_list":["post-18174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-international","category-politics","tag-kabila"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18174"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18175,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18174\/revisions\/18175"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kivuavenir.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}