Former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala has gone on trial in France over alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Second Congo War.
According to a report from RFI, former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala appeared in a Paris court on Wednesday to face trial for complicity in crimes against humanity committed during the 1998–2003 Second Congo War, one of the world’s deadliest conflicts since World War II.
Lumbala, 67, is accused of overseeing atrocities by his Uganda-backed rebel group, the Rally of Congolese Democrats and Nationalists (RCD-N), whose fighters allegedly raped, executed, and mutilated civilians, particularly members of the Nande and Bambuti pygmy communities. Investigators said the attacks were aimed at controlling gold, diamond, and coltan-rich territories in the northeastern provinces of Ituri and Haut-Uele.
He was arrested in France in December 2020 under the principle of universal jurisdiction and has since been held in a Paris prison. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment.
Human rights organizations, including TRIAL International and the Clooney Foundation for Justice, hailed the trial as “a crucial opportunity to deliver justice for survivors.”
“Holding Lumbala accountable for his actions sends a strong signal in today’s ongoing violent conflict in DRC that abuses will be investigated and justice sought,” said Samuel Ade Ndasi of the Minority Rights Group.
The hearings are expected to last over a month, with the verdict due December 19.