The convicted individuals were part of a group of 84 soldiers arrested in Pinga, located in Walikale Territory in North Kivu Province.
They were accused of refusing to continue fighting against AFC/M23 rebels and of defying their military commanders.
According to the military prosecution, the soldiers abandoned the frontlines in February 2026 and demanded payment of outstanding bonuses, salaries, and food supplies before agreeing to resume combat operations.
Prosecutors further stated that the soldiers later fired gunshots into the air during protests, an act the court considered a serious breach of military discipline and national security regulations.
However, defense lawyer Patience Yengonane argued that the soldiers’ actions were driven by frustration and neglect, claiming that the government had failed to provide them with the support and basic necessities they had been promised.
On May 15, 2026, the Kisangani Military Court found 58 soldiers guilty of violating military orders and sentenced them to three years in prison.
Sixteen others were acquitted after the court determined that there was insufficient evidence to support the charges against them.
The court also ordered fresh investigations into 10 additional soldiers accused of offenses related to abandoning weapons. Their cases will be heard at a later stage, depending on the findings of military prosecutors.
The ruling comes amid growing scrutiny of military discipline within the Congolese armed forces, particularly in areas affected by ongoing conflict involving AFC/M23 rebels.
Prior to the verdict, many observers had expected the accused soldiers to face the death penalty, similar to other military personnel convicted of comparable offenses since early 2024.
Following the ruling, Yengonane welcomed the decision, saying the prison sentences provide an opportunity to appeal and seek further acquittals.
“Receiving prison sentences instead of the death penalty is an important outcome because a death sentence would have closed every possibility,” Yengonane said. “This decision gives us the chance to appeal quickly and continue fighting for the acquittal of others.”
Military prosecutors had requested the death penalty for all the accused soldiers, arguing that their actions posed a serious threat to national security and undermined military operations in eastern Congo.
The convicted soldiers were sentenced to three years in prison, a decision their lawyer said he plans to appeal.
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