Beni: Two ADF Collaborators Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
The military garrison court of Beni delivered a landmark ruling on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, sentencing two individuals to 10 years of hard labor for complicity with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
According to the prosecution, the convicts were found guilty of providing both logistical supplies and intelligence to the ADF rebels, an armed group of Ugandan origin that has long destabilized eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In addition to their prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay 500,000 Congolese francs each in court costs.
A Wider Trial Against ADF Networks
This judgment is part of a broader trial that opened on September 22, involving 62 suspected ADF members and collaborators. The case is considered one of the most important judicial processes in recent years in Beni, a city often at the epicenter of violent ADF attacks.
Military magistrate Captain Hubert Kabandani emphasized that this trial serves as a strong message of deterrence:
“No collaboration with ADF will go unpunished. The military justice system is determined to dismantle all forms of support to this terrorist group,” he declared in court.
ADF’s Ongoing Threat in Eastern Congo
The ADF, originally based in Uganda, has pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State and remains one of the deadliest armed groups in the region. In the territories of Beni, Lubero, and Ituri, the ADF has carried out massacres, kidnappings, and attacks against both civilians and security forces, leaving thousands dead and displacing entire communities.
Despite ongoing military offensives, the group has shown a strong capacity to reorganize, often relying on local collaborators for information, supplies, and safe passage. The latest convictions highlight the importance of cutting off these networks that sustain the insurgency.
A Signal of Determination
The sentencing of the two ADF accomplices is being viewed as a milestone in Congo’s fight against insecurity in the East. It reflects the government’s determination to protect vulnerable populations and restore state authority in areas long plagued by instability.
Observers believe that the outcome of this wider trial involving 62 suspects will set a precedent for future cases against armed groups and their enablers. For the people of Beni, justice is seen not just as punishment, but also as a step toward rebuilding trust in the rule of law and the state’s capacity to defend them.
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✍️ Mwandishi : Mangwa
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