France jails former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala for war crimes
The Parisian court on Monday found Lumbala guilty of helping carry out crimes against humanity linked to attacks on civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2002 and 2003.
A French court has sentenced former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala to 30 years in prison for his role in serious crimes committed during the Second Congo War, in a ruling seen as a major step toward justice for victims of the conflict.
The Parisian court on Monday found Lumbala guilty of helping carry out crimes against humanity linked to attacks on civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2002 and 2003.
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The 67-year-old has 10 days to appeal, according to his lawyer, who described the sentence as too harsh.
Lumbala led the Congolese Rally for National Democracy, a rebel group that operated in eastern Congo with backing from neighbouring Uganda.
According to prosecutors, the group carried out brutal attacks on civilians, especially members of the Nande and Bambuti communities. The Nande people were specifically targeted after being accused of supporting a rival militia.
Court proceedings relied on United Nations (UN) reports that described a pattern of abuse by the group's fighters, including torture, killings, rape, forced labour and sexual slavery.
Lumbala rejected the authority of the French court and stayed away from most of the trial. He appeared only on the first day and returned for the verdict, missing emotional testimonies from survivors who described the violence inflicted on their communities.
"We were scared but came all the way here because the truth matters. For years, no one heard us. Today, the Court did. We would have preferred to face Roger Lumbala, to look him in the eyes," one of the victims said.
"But this verdict marks a first step toward reclaiming pieces of ourselves that were taken from us. We are thankful it could happen here in France, and hope justice will soon also be possible at home."
The case was made possible by French laws that allow courts to try crimes against humanity even when they were committed outside the country. Lumbala's sentencing marks the first time a Congolese political or military figure has been convicted by a national court abroad under the legal principle.
For many years, those responsible for crimes during the Second Congo War were rarely held to account. Several leaders of armed groups accused of serious abuses were never prosecuted and later went on to hold senior positions in government or the military.
According to analysts, the lack of justice and accountability allowed violence to continue and weakened public trust in state institutions.
Human rights groups have welcomed the verdict, calling it a clear warning to those responsible for mass violence.
"Today, the court made one thing unmistakably clear: architects of mass violence will be held to account. Neither time nor political power will shield them," said Daniele Perissi of TRIAL International, which represented victims in the case.
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