Judges at the Democratic Republic of Congos's High Military Court have postponed the verdict in the war crimes trial of former President Joseph Kabila until September 19, opting to review new evidence that emerged on Friday, adding a dramatic twist to the proceedings.

Kabila, who governed from 2001 to 2019 and faces charges of conspiring with the Rwanda-backed M23 paramilitary group, murder, and rape, risks the death penalty if convicted.

The delay follows a request from state lawyers to examine fresh witness testimony linking Kabila to bank accounts allegedly funding M23, alongside a motion to reclassify treason charges as espionage due to doubts about his nationality. The court deems the evidence admissible, extending the trial that began in July, with Kabila tried in absentia since his whereabouts remain unknown after self-imposed exile ended with his arrival in rebel-held Goma in April.

Kabila’s presidential immunity, revoked in May, fuels claims from supporters that the trial serves political motives. This development, set against Congo’s turbulent post-colonial history and ongoing eastern conflicts, underscores the challenges of justice in a nation grappling with war and governance transitions.