DRC Military Tribunal Sentences 13 Soldiers To Death For Cowardice
A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has sentenced 13 soldiers to death on charges of murder, looting, and cowardice.
Military authorities said this was a drive to improve army discipline following territorial losses due to soldiers fleeing their posts.
The soldiers were sentenced on Tuesday in Lubero, a town in DRC’s eastern North Kivu province. The region has seen nearly three years of conflict with the Rwanda-backed M23 insurgency, alongside other militia violence, as reported by Reuters.
Local army spokesperson Mak Hazukay said intensified fighting in the Lubero territory has been exacerbated by instances of soldiers abandoning their positions, which has allowed the enemy to gain ground. He said:
Some of the soldiers who are supposed to be fighting the enemy at the front have shown a kind of indiscipline. We had to organise this educational trial to set things right.
In total, 24 soldiers were put on trial. Besides the 13 given death sentences, four received prison terms ranging from 2 to 10 years, six were found not guilty, and one case was delayed for more investigation.
The hearings aimed to rebuild trust between the military and the public said military prosecutor Kabala Kabundi.
All those convicted claimed they were not guilty and had five days to appeal their sentences. A lawyer for one of the defendants confirmed plans to appeal.
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