A military court sentences 8 Congolese army soldiers to death for cowardice, other crimes

By RUTH ALONGA
Associated Press

GOMA, Congo (AP) — A military court in eastern Congo has sentenced eight soldiers to death for cowardice and other crimes linked to fleeing the battlefield, as the government struggles to contain violence and attacks in the mineral-rich area where many armed groups operate. Congo in March lifted a more than 20-year moratorium on the death penalty, stating that those guilt of treason and espionage were able to get away without proper punishment. Human rights organizations criticized the decision. The military court in Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, acquitted three other soldiers of all charges and released them.