The military has announced that seven Congolese soldiers in the country’s troubled east have received sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment for their involvement in various crimes. A military court in Uvira handed down the verdict, with six privates and a staff sergeant being convicted. Four soldiers were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, two received 20-year terms for attempted murder or armed robbery, and one was given a 10-year sentence for extortion.In addition, an eighth individual accused of extortion was acquitted of the charges. The majority of the crimes occurred in South Kivu, a province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo known for the presence of numerous armed groups and widespread violence. The incidents primarily took place in November 2022, with civilians comprising the majority of the victims, as stated by Jeremie Meya, the spokesperson for the 12th Rapid Response Brigade.