KINSHASA, DR CONGO — Three American citizens convicted for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last year have been repatriated to the United States to serve the remainder of their prison sentences.
The three men, initially sentenced to death by a military court, had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment last week. US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that the three were “in our custody.”
This repatriation occurs as the US and DR Congo explore a potential agreement regarding the exploitation of the central African nation’s significant mineral resources. Last week, a senior advisor for Africa to US President Donald Trump visited DR Congo and confirmed ongoing discussions about minerals, suggesting potential “multibillion-dollar investments.”
DR Congo possesses substantial reserves of coltan and cobalt, crucial components in electronic devices and electric vehicle batteries, currently largely extracted by Chinese mining companies.
The three American convicts – Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman Polun Benjamin – departed DR Congo on Tuesday to serve their remaining sentences in the US, according to Congolese presidential spokesperson Tina Salama. Their transfer from N’Djili International Airport in Kinshasa was conducted in “strict compliance with legal procedures,” stated the DRC presidency.
The presidency further added that this transfer “is part of a dynamic of strengthening judicial diplomacy and international cooperation in matters of justice and human rights” between DR Congo and the US.
The Americans were among a group of 37 individuals sentenced to death last September by a military court for their roles in the attempted coup. Jean-Jacques Wondo, a citizen of both Congo and Belgium who also received a death sentence, was transferred to Belgium in February due to health concerns. The fate of the other convicts, including a Briton, a Belgian, and a Canadian national, regarding potential sentence commutation remains unclear.
They were convicted of leading an attack on both the presidential palace and the residence of an ally of President Félix Tshisekedi in May of the previous year. The charges included criminal conspiracy and terrorism, which they denied. The alleged leader of the plot, Christian Malanga, a US national of Congolese origin and father of Marcel Malanga Malu, was killed during the attack, along with five others.
While specific details of the prisoner transfer agreement were not immediately disclosed, the State Department acknowledged the repatriation, stating it was carried out in collaboration with the US embassy in Kinshasa, the DRC capital. However, legal experts cited by the AP news agency suggest it is unlikely the US will release them or reduce their sentences.
The Department of State spokesperson emphasized that the US condemned the armed attacks and supported DR Congo’s efforts to hold the convicts accountable, while also advocating for “consistent, compassionate, humane treatment and a fair legal process.”
Joseph Szlavik-Soto, a lobbyist representing the Congolese government, informed Reuters news agency that the DRC had agreed to compensate for damages caused by protesters who attacked the US embassy and other missions earlier in the year. US officials have yet to comment on this matter.
