By Jeff Charles
A military court in Kinshasa, Congo sentenced 37 individuals, including three Americans, to death Friday after convicting them of participating in a failed coup attempt, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The Americans, identified as Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr. and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, were among those found guilty of crimes related to the May 19, 2024 coup attempt against the government of President Felix Tshisekedi, according to the Associated Press. (RELATED: At Least Three Dead After Attempted Coup In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Allegedly Involving Americans, Fails)
The court also convicted defendants from Belgium, Canada and the U.K., according to the outlet. They reportedly have five days to appeal the verdict.
Congo court sentences 3 Americans and 34 others to death on coup charges https://t.co/LQAoQiahmF
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 14, 2024
Christian Malanga, a Congolese-American politician and businessman, led the assault which resulted in the deaths of six people, including Malanga himself, the AP reported. Marcel Malanga, the leader’s 21-year-old son and an American citizen, reportedly testified that his father forced him and a friend to participate in the attack. The senior Malanga allegedly threatened their lives if they refused, according to the outlet.
Defense attorney Richard Bondo criticized the trial, arguing that Congo’s recent reinstatement of the death penalty is not fully enforceable and citing the participation of inadequate interpreters during the investigation. “We will challenge this decision on appeal,” Bondo stated, according to the outlet.
How 3 young Americans ended up in the middle of a coup attempt in Congo and facing the death penalty https://t.co/icUzErSFgF
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 14, 2024
The U.S. Department of State acknowledged the case but has not designated the three Americans as wrongfully detained, which significantly reduces the chances of diplomatic intervention, the outlet reported. “We continue to attend the proceedings and follow developments closely,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, according to the AP.
Families of the convicted Americans are urging lawmakers to intervene, the AP reported. Republican Utah Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee expressed support for the families, particularly the Beehive State’s Tyler Thompson Jr.
