DR CONGO: FOUR SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH WITH SENTENCE CHANGED TO PRISON

November 5, 2024:

Four Congolese soldiers were sentenced to death on October 31, 2024 by a military court in Butembo, North Kivu (east of the Democratic Republic of Congo), with sentence commuted to prison.
The four soldiers were accused of looting the parish of Sainte Joséphine Bakhita in Mabambi during the state of siege and during operations against local guerrilla groups.
The soldiers were found guilty of theft, looting, vandalism against a church and violating the instructions of the state of siege.
The court ordered compensation for the victims and the return of the looted items, reminding the convicted of their right to appeal to the military court of North Kivu.
Soldiers of the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) are often accused of targeting civilians and looting. The province of North Kivu has been under a state of siege since May 2021, which gives the military extensive powers.