Former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala was sentenced on Monday, December 15, 2025, in Paris, to 30 years in prison for complicity in atrocities committed by his troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2002-2003.

This verdict, described as " historic " by NGOs, is seen as a halt to decades of impunity in eastern DRC, a region ravaged by incessant conflicts for control of resources.

Details of the Trial and Charges

1. Complicity in Crimes: Lumbala was found guilty of complicity "by order" or "by aid or assistance" in crimes committed by fighters from his rebel group, the RCD-N , during the offensive dubbed " Erase the Board " against a rival faction.
2. Retained Crimes: The atrocities were extremely brutal and included:
3. Rape used as a weapon of war and sexual slavery
4. Forced labor, torture and mutilation
5. Summary executions
6. Systematic looting and extortion of the population
7. Universal Jurisdiction: Roger Lumbala, detained in Paris for five years, was tried by the French justice system under the principle of universal jurisdiction applicable to crimes against humanity under certain conditions.
8. Sentence Requested: The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) had initially requested life imprisonment.
9. Accused's Attitude: The short-lived former minister challenged the legitimacy of the French justice system and refused to attend the proceedings, but returned to hear the verdict, remaining impassive.

⚖️ The Importance of the Verdict

This trial is the first conducted by a national court applying universal jurisdiction to result in a conviction for atrocities committed in eastern DRC.

1. Hope of NGOs: Human rights organizations hope that this judgment will shake the feeling of impunity that prevails among the belligerents involved in the conflicts in the DRC, often motivated by the control of mineral and natural resources (diamonds, coltan, etc.).
2. Geopolitical Context: The offensive was supported by Uganda and allied with Jean-Pierre Bemba's MLC. The verdict comes as eastern DRC remains the scene of violent clashes, notably between the M23 (supported by Rwanda) and the Congolese army.

Despite previous convictions of warlords such as Thomas Lubanga, Germain Katanga, and Bosco Ntaganda by the International Criminal Court (ICC) between 2012 and 2021, NGOs emphasize that this is an unprecedented legal step at the national level. The prosecution asserted that Lumbala was indeed " one of the masterminds " of this bloody offensive.