A garrison military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sentenced 55 soldiers of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) to death for fleeing the enemy and looting in Lubero Territory, North Kivu Province.
The court proceedings, held in Musienene State near the frontline towards Butembo, began last Monday. A total of 66 soldiers had been arrested for pillaging along National Road No. 2 specifically in Lubero-Centre, Kimbulu, Musienene, and Butembo after retreating in the face of advancing March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.
Their actions reportedly caused widespread panic in the affected areas. Delivering the verdict on Friday evening, presiding magistrate Maj Georges Nkuwa sentenced the 55 soldiers to death. One soldier received a five-year prison term with hard labor, two others were sentenced to two years, and one was handed a one-year sentence. One soldier was acquitted, while hearings for six others accused of flagrante delicto are still ongoing.
Magistrate Nkuwa emphasized that the harsh sentences were intended to reinforce military discipline and deter future misconduct.
“Discipline is the backbone of any army. We will track down those who leave the front without orders, those who flee the enemy, and those who violate military regulations,” he stated.
However, defense lawyer Maître Jules Muvweko condemned the ruling, pledging to appeal. He argued that the court unfairly favored the prosecution’s case while disregarding key defense arguments.
“We are not satisfied with this judgment. We intend to appeal because several people have just been convicted for nothing. There were shortcomings in the way the judges analyzed the evidence. Unfortunately, they sided with the prosecutor. We expected more acquittals, and we are going to challenge this ruling,” Muvweko said.
This marks the fifth garrison military court session in Butembo addressing cases of FARDC soldiers accused of violations while on the frontline against M23 rebels.
pole kwa gongo yutu
They fled you lost them. By sentencing them to death you are losing them too so there is still that vacuum. So what do you stand to gain?