Three Americans and 34 others sentenced to death for attempted coup in Congo

(AP) – A military court in Congo on Friday sentenced 37 people, including three Americans, to death after convicting them of taking part in an attempted coup.

The defendants, who also included a Briton, a Belgian, a Canadian and several Congolese, can appeal the verdict on charges including terrorism, murder and criminal association. Fourteen people were acquitted at the trial, which began in June.

Six people were killed during a failed coup attempt led by little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga in May that targeted the presidential palace and a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi. Malanga was shot dead while resisting arrest shortly after live-streaming the attack on his social media, according to Congo’s military.

Malanga’s 21-year-old son, Marcel Malanga, who is a U.S. citizen, and two other Americans were convicted of the attack. His mother, Brittney Sawyer, has said her son is innocent and was simply following his father, who considered himself president of a shadow government in exile.

The other Americans were Tyler Thompson Jr., who flew to Africa from Utah with Marcel Malanga for what his family believed was a vacation, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, who reportedly knew Christian Malanga through a gold mining company.

The company was established in Mozambique in 2022, according to an official journal published by the Mozambican government and a report by the Africa Intelligence newsletter.

Thompson’s family maintains that he had no knowledge of Christian Malanga’s intentions, had no plans for political activism and was not even planning to enter the Congo. He and the Malangas were only supposed to travel to South Africa and Eswatini, Thompson’s stepmother said.

The reading of the verdict and the sentencing before the open-air military court were broadcast live on television.

Last month, military prosecutor Lt. Col. Innocent Radjabu asked judges to sentence all defendants to death except one who suffers from “psychological problems.”

Earlier this year, Congo reinstated the death penalty, lifting a moratorium of more than two decades, as authorities struggle to curb violence and militant attacks in the country.