France, Oct. 1 -- Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia on Tuesday by a military court in Kinshasa. The court found him guilty of treason, war crimes and organising an armed insurrection for allegedly collaborating with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.

Kabila, 54, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, was not in court and had no legal representation during the trial, which opened on 25 July. His whereabouts are unknown, and the judges ordered his immediate arrest.

The High Military Court said Kabila betrayed his duty of loyalty to the Congolese state, calling his actions "an outrage to millions of Congolese whom he led for 18 years".

The court also ordered him to pay more than 33 bi...