DRC: Former security adviser François Beya faces six-month suspended sentence over alleged threats to President Tshisekedi

The Military Prosecutor’s Office in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has requested a one-year sentence with six months suspended against François Beya Kasonga, the former special security adviser to President Félix Tshisekedi, citing his alleged involvement in activities deemed threatening to national security and the presidency.

François Beya Kasonga

On Friday, July 26, 2025, the Military High Court in Kinshasa heard prosecution arguments in the high-profile case involving François Beya and several co-accused, including senior military and police officials. The prosecution accused the group of conspiring to harm the Head of State and inciting members of the armed forces to act contrary to their official duties.

The accused include Vanda Nowa Biama Guy, Colonel Cikapa Tite Mokili, Commissioner General Lily Tambwe Mauwa, Lieutenant Colonel Kalenga Pierre, and Brigadier General Tonton Twadi Sekele—the latter still on the run. While Beya and the others were initially detained, they were later released on provisional bail as proceedings continued.

François Beya was arrested in February 2022 and provisionally released in August that same year on medical grounds, allowing him to travel abroad for treatment. He has since remained in France.

In a recent hearing, military prosecutors acknowledged Beya’s deteriorating health and his advanced age, requesting a one-year sentence, of which six months would be suspended. If the court accepts this recommendation, Beya would not return to prison, as the six-month effective portion of the sentence has already been served during his pre-trial detention.

The trial has drawn significant public and political attention in the DRC and across the region due to the high-ranking status of the accused and the seriousness of the charges. The case has also raised questions about the use of military justice and the handling of national security cases involving political figures.

Beya’s legal team has dismissed the charges as baseless and politically motivated. They are expected to present their final submissions to the court on July 31, 2025, arguing for a full acquittal.

“This prosecution lacks substance and legal foundation,” one of the lawyers previously stated. “It is a political case dressed up in legal terms.”

Once a close confidant of President Tshisekedi, Beya’s sudden arrest in 2022 sent shockwaves through Congo’s political circles, fueling speculation about internal rifts and power struggles within the ruling administration.

The final ruling in this case is expected to set a critical precedent for how high-level political and security-related cases are handled in the DRC moving forward.

Amani Ntakandi