Six Members of UDPS-Affiliated Group Sentenced to Death for Attack on Ex-President Kabila's Residence

Six members of the Force for Progress, a group affiliated with the ruling UDPS party in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were sentenced to death on Thursday, August 8th, by the Kinshasa-Gombe High Court.

They were found guilty of multiple charges, including criminal association, attempted murder, robbery, and malicious destruction. The court's decision comes in the wake of their involvement in a forced eviction and an attack on the residence of former President Joseph Kabila.

Among those sentenced is Ngandu Wa Ngandu Kennedy, known as "anti-bullet," a prominent leader of the Force for Progress. During the trial, a video was presented showing Kennedy threatening to forcibly evict the occupants of Kabila's residence in Kinshasa.

The civil party, represented by Olive Lembe Kabila, the wife of the former president, confirmed his presence and active participation during the assault. The group had also conducted another eviction operation related to a land dispute on the same day, just a few hundred meters from Kabila's residence.

In this high-profile case, 49 of the 65 defendants were acquitted, while a dozen others received prison sentences ranging from five to ten years.

The court also ordered the convicted individuals to pay a symbolic Congolese franc as reparation, as requested by Olive Lembe Kabila.

The prosecutor had initially sought the death penalty for all members of the Force for Progress involved in the violent actions. Civil society organizations and opposition parties have long expressed concern over the activities of young people linked to the presidential party, accusing them of engaging in violent and unlawful behavior.

Despite the court's ruling, the defense lawyer expressed satisfaction with the judgment, noting the acquittal of several defendants.

However, he announced plans to appeal the death sentences in hopes of securing the acquittal of those still facing capital punishment.