Death Sentences for Three Americans in Congo Coup Plot Commuted to Life Imprisonment
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Three American citizens convicted for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last year have had their death sentences reduced to life imprisonment, according to an announcement from the Congolese presidency.
The trio were among 37 individuals sentenced to death by a military court in September 2024, following a violent attempt to overthrow the government in May of that year. They were accused of taking part in coordinated attacks on the presidential palace and the residence of Vital Kamerhe, a close political ally of President Félix Tshisekedi.
Their sentences were officially commuted by President Tshisekedi on Tuesday, as revealed in a televised statement by his spokesperson Tina Salama. The three Americans — Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman Polun Benjamin — were granted what the presidency called “individual clemency.”
The timing of the decision comes shortly before a scheduled visit to Kinshasa by Massad Boulos, the newly appointed U.S. senior adviser for Africa and father-in-law of Tiffany Trump, daughter of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Boulos’ diplomatic tour will also include stops in Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.
Though the U.S. has not formally labeled the Americans as wrongfully detained, the State Department previously acknowledged that discussions were ongoing between the two countries regarding their cases.
The three men were convicted of criminal conspiracy, terrorism, and other charges, all of which they denied. Christian Malanga, a U.S. citizen of Congolese descent and the alleged mastermind of the plot, was killed during the attempted coup, along with five others.
The trial involved 51 defendants and was conducted in a military court, with proceedings broadcast nationwide. Fourteen individuals were acquitted, while the rest received various sentences, including the death penalty.
Although the DRC has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions for the past two decades, the government officially lifted it earlier this year, citing the need to rid the military of “traitors.” However, no executions have been carried out since that policy change.
One of the lawyers for the Americans, Ckiness Ciamba, described the presidential clemency as “a first step that promises major changes in the future.”
It remains unclear whether the Americans will be repatriated to serve their sentences in the U.S., or whether other foreign nationals convicted in the same case—including citizens of the UK, Belgium, and Canada—might also receive sentence reductions.
The attempted coup began in the early hours of May 19, 2024, when armed men dressed in military attire stormed the homes of senior officials, sparking a shootout at the presidential residence in Kinshasa.
source: BBC
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