US nationals escape death penalty in Africa

Three Americans will instead serve life in prison after being convicted last September of attempting a coup in DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) government has commuted the death sentences of three Americans convicted of participating in a failed coup in the Central African state’s capital last year to life imprisonment.

Tina Salama, spokesperson for DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, announced the decision on Tuesday, citing an official order. It comes ahead of a visit on Thursday by newly appointed US senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, who is also planning to go to Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda, according to the State Department.

Boulos is expected to promote US private-sector investment in the region and meet with leaders of the four countries to advance peace efforts in eastern DR Congo, where M23 rebels have intensified their war against the Congolese government.

“Order granting individual clemency: commutation of the death sentence to that of life imprisonment granted to Marcel Malanga Malu, Tyler Christa Thompson, and Zalman-Polun Benjamin, all American citizens,” Salama wrote on X.

The three were among around 50 people, including a Belgian, a British national, and a Canadian, who were tried for criminal conspiracy, murder, terrorism, and other offenses after being arrested in May and charged with trying to overthrow the Congolese government.

READ MORE: US nationals face death penalty for ‘attempting’ coup in African state

A group of gunmen in military uniforms briefly seized the presidential palace in Kinshasa after storming the home of Vital Kamerhe, president of the DR Congo National Assembly. Six people were reportedly killed during the raids, including two police officers who were assigned to protect Kamerhe.

The coup leader, Congolese politician Christian Malanga – who obtained US citizenship while living in exile – was killed in the standoff. He had vowed to put an end to the corruption in Kinshasa during the attempted takeover, which he livestreamed on Facebook.

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Last September, a military court imposed capital punishment on 37 of the suspects, including Marcel Malanga – the son of the coup’s leader – Zalman-Polun, and Thompson. The others were reportedly acquitted and released after the court determined they had no connection to the attack.

Marcel, 21, had told the court that he traveled to the DR Congo – his first-ever visit to the country – at his father’s invitation and had no prior knowledge of the plot. Thompson, also 21, reportedly flew from Utah to Kinshasa with Marcel. Thompson’s family claims he was unaware of Malanga’s intentions. Zalman-Polun, 36, stated that while he has been a long-time business associate of Christian Malanga, he did not participate in planning the coup attempt.

President Tshisekedi lifted the country’s moratorium on capital punishment in March 2024, citing a need to rid the army of traitors and combat a surge in terrorism. No executions have been carried out in the DR Congo for over two decades.