**Soldiers sentenced to death for fleeing the enemy: Merciless Justice in Alimbongo**
In the heart of the troubled territory of Lubero, in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the region’s garrison military court handed down a merciless sentence. Last Wednesday, twenty-five soldiers, including two FARDC captains, were sentenced to the ultimate penalty: death. This radical decision was taken during a mobile audience held in Alimbongo, an isolated village about a hundred kilometers from Lubero center.
The charges against these soldiers are serious. Flight from the enemy, dissipation of war munitions, violation of orders and pillage: unforgivable acts in time of war. These men, deployed on the northern front to counter the M23 rebels, were found guilty of having retreated in the face of the enemy. An unforgivable moral and professional failure in the context of an armed conflict.
Two other soldiers were sentenced to ten years of main penal servitude for robbery. Severe sentences which demonstrate the determination of the military authorities to put an end to impunity within the armed forces. In a region where violence and insecurity reign supreme, justice must be rigorous to restore the authority of the State and protect vulnerable populations.
Alongside these convictions, four military wives accused of concealment of theft were acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence. This decision illustrates the need to respect the fundamental rights of everyone, even in an environment of tension and conflict.
Local civil society has spoken out against the abuses committed by certain soldiers, whom they describe as fugitives and predators. The looting of the property of displaced people, particularly their livestock, constitutes a serious violation of human rights and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
This affair also raises questions about the training and supervision of troops engaged on the front. Discipline and professional ethics must be at the heart of all military action to ensure the security of civilians and the stability of the region.
By sentencing these soldiers to the death penalty, the Butembo garrison military court sends a clear message: impunity will no longer be tolerated, and those who betray their duty to the nation will be severely punished. Ruthless justice, but necessary to restore the population’s confidence in the security forces and guarantee peace in a region ravaged by armed conflicts.