Death Penalty Sought for 50 in Congo Coup Plot, Including Three Americans

Prosecutors in Congo are pushing for the death penalty for 50 individuals, including three American citizens, accused of involvement in a failed coup attempt earlier this year. The prosecution’s request underscores the severity of the charges facing the defendants, who are alleged to have participated in a botched assault on the presidential palace and a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi.

Military prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Radjabu has urged the court to impose the death penalty on all those implicated, except for one defendant who reportedly suffers from mental health issues. The trial, which commenced in June, involves charges of terrorism, murder, and criminal association—many of which are punishable by death under Congolese law.

The alleged coup attempt, led by the relatively obscure opposition figure Christian Malanga in May, resulted in six fatalities. Malanga, who attempted to target the presidential palace and a key ally of President Tshisekedi, was killed by Congolese forces after resisting arrest and live-streaming the attack on social media.

Among those on trial are Marcel Malanga, the 21-year-old son of Christian Malanga and a U.S. citizen, as well as two other Americans. Marcel’s mother, Brittney Sawyer, insists her son is innocent and was merely accompanying his father, who claimed to head a shadow government in exile. Sawyer argues that Marcel’s involvement was purely familial and not politically motivated.

Tyler Thompson Jr., also 21, traveled from Utah to Africa with Marcel Malanga, under the impression that the trip was a vacation funded by Christian Malanga. Thompson and Marcel were former high school football teammates from the Salt Lake City area. Allegations have surfaced that Marcel offered up to $100,000 to potential recruits for a “security job” in Congo, but Thompson’s family asserts that he was unaware of any political ambitions or plans involving Congo. They maintain that the original travel plans were for South Africa and Eswatini, not Congo.

The third American facing trial is Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36. Reports indicate that Zalman-Polun knew Christian Malanga through a gold mining venture established in Mozambique in 2022, as noted in a government publication and a report by the Africa Intelligence newsletter.

This high-profile case comes amid Congo’s recent reinstatement of the death penalty, ending a moratorium that had lasted over two decades. The decision to lift the moratorium reflects the government’s ongoing struggle to address escalating violence and militant attacks across the nation.