A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced 37 defendants, including three U.S. citizens, to death on Friday for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in May.
The incident occurred on May 19 when armed men briefly seized an office of the presidency in Kinshasa. The group’s leader, U.S.-based Congolese politician Christian Malanga, was killed by security forces during the attack.
Among those sentenced were Malanga’s son, Marcel Malanga, and his friend Tyler Thompson, both in their 20s. Thompson and Marcel had played high school football together in Utah. A third American, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, a business associate of Christian Malanga, was also convicted.
All three Americans were found guilty of charges including criminal conspiracy and terrorism. The verdict, delivered on live television, sentenced them to death.
During the trial, Marcel Malanga claimed his father had threatened his life if he did not take part in the coup. He also testified that it was his first time in the Congo, having traveled at his father’s invitation after years of estrangement.
The Americans were among approximately 50 people facing trial, including citizens from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Belgium, and Congo, following the coup attempt. In total, 37 individuals were handed death sentences.
The verdict was announced at Ndolo military prison, where the defendants sat in blue and yellow prison uniforms in front of the judge. The trial had been ongoing since July.
In Washington, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that embassy officials had attended the proceedings and were monitoring the situation. “We understand that the legal process in the DRC allows for defendants to appeal the court’s decision,” Miller said.
Among the 37 sentenced is Jean-Jacques Wondo, a Belgian-Congolese citizen. His family had released video pleas to Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, asking for his release, with his wife, Nathalie Kayembe Wondo, urging intervention.
Family members of Marcel Malanga and Tyler Thompson have declined to comment, but Marcel’s mother, Brittney Sawyer, has previously stated that her son is innocent. Thompson’s stepmother, Miranda Thompson, has also said her stepson was simply visiting Congo to explore the world.
A fundraising page set up by Thompson’s family describes him as feeling lonely and isolated in prison as he awaits further developments.
