Adjudant Sarah Ebabi, a member of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and known on social media as Ebadjara, has been placed under military custody after photos of her kissing her fiancé while wearing her uniform went viral online.
The 39-year-old soldier had taken the pictures in a Kinshasa photo studio as part of a “Save the Date” session ahead of her wedding, planned for October 31, 2025. However, the photos and a 25-second video clip circulated widely on social media, prompting her arrest on October 24.
The military prosecution accuses her of tarnishing the army’s image and violating command regulations by appearing on social media in uniform in a way deemed inappropriate.
During a hearing before the High Military Court, prosecutors requested a 10-year prison sentence, claiming that she personally shared the images online.
Ebabi, who works under the Military Intelligence Directorate (DEMIAP), denied the charges, explaining that the photos were uploaded by Yannick Kayembe, a photographer at Raw Studio, who admitted to posting them on TikTok for promotional purposes.
“The offense is personal, Your Honour. I did not publish those videos,” Ebabi told the court.
Her defense team argued that the case concerns her private life and should not be treated as a criminal matter, stressing that no harm was done to national security or the army’s integrity.
The prosecution, however, maintained that her actions breached a 2021 law prohibiting soldiers from appearing on social media in uniform in a way that could “discredit or undermine” the army.
The case has drawn widespread public criticism in the DRC, with many social media users condemning the charges as excessive and unfair.
“A woman preparing for her wedding is being treated like a criminal instead of being celebrated for her service,” one user wrote.
The court is expected to decide later on Wednesday, October 29, whether Adjudant Ebabi will remain in custody or be released pending further proceedings.