Three American citizens convicted for their roles in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been repatriated to the United States to serve out the remainder of their prison sentences.
The trio, Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman Polun Benjamin, had originally been sentenced to death by a military court last year, but those sentences were commuted to life imprisonment just last week. On Tuesday, they were escorted from Kinshasa’s N’Djili International Airport and handed over to US authorities.
Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, confirmed the transfer, saying the individuals were “in our custody.” She emphasised that the United States condemned the armed attacks and supported DR Congo’s efforts to hold the perpetrators accountable. However, she also called for “consistent, compassionate, humane treatment and a fair legal process.”
The repatriation was seen as part of an evolving diplomatic engagement between the two nations. DR Congo’s presidential spokesperson Tina Salama described the move as occurring in “strict compliance with legal procedures,” adding that the transfer is part of a “dynamic of strengthening judicial diplomacy and international cooperation in matters of justice and human rights.”
The three Americans were among 37 individuals sentenced to death by the military tribunal last September after an attack on the presidential palace and the residence of a close ally of President Félix Tshisekedi in May 2024. They were convicted on charges including terrorism, criminal conspiracy, and attempted overthrow of the government—charges they denied.
The suspected ringleader of the plot, Christian Malanga, a Congolese-born US citizen and father of one of the convicts, was killed during the attack alongside five others.
In recent months, diplomatic ties between the United States and DR Congo have taken on added significance, particularly in the context of strategic economic interests. Last week, a senior adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump visited Kinshasa and confirmed that the two countries were in discussions regarding potential cooperation in the mining sector. The central African country boasts vast mineral reserves, including coltan and cobalt, critical components in electronics and electric vehicle batteries, resources currently dominated by Chinese companies.
“It could involve multibillion-dollar investments,” the Trump adviser stated, highlighting the growing competition for access to DR Congo’s rich mineral wealth.
While the exact terms of the prisoner transfer agreement remain unclear, the U.S. State Department acknowledged the collaboration with its embassy in Kinshasa in facilitating the repatriation.
Legal experts have pointed out that the convicts are unlikely to be released or have their sentences reduced despite their return to the U.S., according to reports by the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, the fate of other foreign nationals convicted in connection with the failed coup, including citizens of the UK, Belgium, and Canada remained uncertain. Earlier in February, Jean-Jacques Wondo, a Belgian-Congolese dual national, was transferred to Belgium due to medical concerns.
In a related development, Joseph Szlavik-Soto, a lobbyist for the Congolese government, told Reuters that DR Congo has agreed to compensate for damages caused during protests earlier this year, which targeted the US Embassy and other diplomatic missions. However, US officials have not yet commented on this arrangement.
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