Congo Court Sentences 3 Americans and 34 Others to Death for Coup

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A military court in Congo sentenced 37 individuals, including three Americans, to death for their involvement in an attempted coup. The ruling was announced on Friday after the court concluded its proceedings, which began in June.

The group convicted mainly consists of Congolese nationals, but also includes individuals from the UK, Belgium, and Canada. They now have a five-day window to appeal the court’s decision, which also encompassed charges such as terrorism and criminal association. Fourteen defendants were acquitted during the trial.

Presiding judge Maj. Freddy Ehuma stated that the court imposed “the harshest penalty, that of death.” As the verdict was read in an open-air military court, the three Americans, clad in blue and yellow prison garb, maintained a stoic demeanor while their sentence was conveyed through a translator.

Richard Bondo, the lawyer representing the six foreign defendants, challenged the validity of the death penalty in Congo. Even though it was reinstated earlier this year, Bondo noted that his clients received insufficient assistance from interpreters during investigations. “We will challenge this decision on appeal,” he asserted, indicating a firm commitment to pursue the case further.

The attempted coup in May resulted in the deaths of six individuals, led by opposition figure Christian Malanga. The plot targeted both the presidential palace and a close associate of President Felix Tshisekedi. Malanga was killed as he resisted arrest after live-streaming the incident on social media.

Among those convicted is Malanga’s 21-year-old son, Marcel Malanga, a U.S. citizen. His mother, Brittney Sawyer, has publicly proclaimed her son’s innocence, describing him as merely following in his father’s footsteps. She emphasized that Malanga viewed himself as a president in a shadow government operating in exile.

Since her son’s arrest, Brittney Sawyer has chosen not to engage with the media, primarily focusing on raising funds to support Marcel’s needs in prison. Reports indicate he is currently sleeping on the floor of his cell and suffering from a liver condition.

Joining Marcel in the convictions were two other Americans: Tyler Thompson Jr., a 21-year-old who had traveled from Utah believing he was going on a vacation, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, who reportedly had connections to Christian Malanga through a gold mining venture established in Mozambique in 2022, according to official documents.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller acknowledged the verdict during a press conference in Washington, expressing awareness of the situation. “We understand that the legal process in the DRC allows for defendants to appeal the court’s decision,” he stated, confirming that embassy personnel have been attending the court sessions and are closely following the developments.

Thompson was invited on the trip by Marcel Malanga, a former high school football teammate. Reports suggest the trip may have involved more than just leisure, with some teammates alleging that Marcel had offered substantial financial incentives to join him for a “security job” in Congo.

The Thompson family maintains that their son had no knowledge of any dubious plans associated with the elder Malanga and had not intended to engage in political activism or even enter Congo, as they were originally scheduled to visit only South Africa and Eswatini. Miranda Thompson, Tyler’s stepmother, reiterated this point in a conversation with The Associated Press in May.

In response to the alarming verdict, the Thompsons engaged legal representation in Utah, seeking assistance from the U.S. government to intervene in the case. As of Friday, offices for Utah Senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee had not provided responses regarding the situation.

During the trial, military prosecutor Lt. Col. Innocent Radjabu urged judges to impose the death penalty on all defendants, excluding one who was deemed to have “psychological problems.”

Congo had lifted a moratorium on the death penalty earlier this year as a measure against increasing violence and militancy in the region.

Source: Associated Press