Americans sentenced to death in Congo
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CONGO– Three US citizens were yesterday are among 37 defendants sentenced to death by a military court for their role in a May failed coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It should be remembered that Armed men briefly occupied an office of the Presidency in the capital City Kinshasa, on May 19 before their leader, a U.S.-based Congolese politician Christian Malanga was shot dead by security forces and his son, Marcel Malanga, was among the Americans on trial, along with Marcel’s friend, Tyler Thompson, who played high school football with him in Utah and the third American, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, was a business associate of Christian Malanga.

All three were found guilty of criminal conspiracy, terrorism and other charges, and were sentenced to death and Malanga had previously told the court that his father threatened to kill him unless he participated and also also told the court it was his first time visiting Congo at the invitation of his father, whom he had not seen in years.

The Americans are among some 50 people, including U.S., British, Canadian, Belgian and Congolese citizens, to stand trial following the failed coup.

The verdict was read out under a tent in the yard of Ndolo Military Prison on the outskirts of Kinshasa where the defendants were seated in front of the judge, wearing blue-and-yellow prison-issued tops.

In Washington, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said embassy staff had attended the proceedings and would continue to follow developments closely.

Additional Reporting from Associated Press