In May 2000, a Congolese court sentenced Kolélas to death in absentia for war crimes."L'Assemblée nationale adopte la loi amnistiant Bernard Kolelas" , Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 24 November 2005 . He was eventually allowed to return from exile to attend the funeral of his wife in October 2005; Sassou Nguesso granted Kolélas a special amnesty for the occasion on humanitarian grounds, enabling him to visit."Deaths in Congo as ex-PM returns", BBC News, 14 October 2005. The National Assembly unanimously adopted a law granting a full amnesty to Kolélas on 23 November 2005, thereby enabling him to resume his place in the nation's political life.
