Tourist among 50 who could face death penalty in DR Congo ‘coup’ trial

An American tourist who was reportedly on his first overseas trip is among 50 people facing the death penalty after it all went wrong in the Congo.

Prosecutors have called for 50 defendants, including three Americans, on trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo to face the death penalty over what the army says was a coup attempt.

Military prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Radjabu urged judges on Tuesday, local time, to sentence to death all those on trial over the alleged attempted coup in May, barring one defendant.

The US citizens captured over their alleged involvement in the failed effort were identified as Tyler Thompson, 21, convicted marijuana trafficker Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun and Utah high school football player Marcel Malanga, 21.

Thompson’s stepmother, Miranda Thompson, told ABC News in May her stepson had travelled overseas for the first time to see the family of his close friend Marcel.

She added it was also the first time he had ever flown on his own.

Tyler Thompson, 21, was reportedly on his first trip abroad to visit a family friend. Picture: X / Syrian Girl

The US citizens were captured over their alleged involvement in the failed effort. Picture: X / Syrian Girl

The alleged plot

Armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe – who was elected head of the National Assembly three days later – in the early hours of May 19.

The group then went to the Palais de la Nation that houses President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices, brandishing flags of Zaire, the country’s name under ex-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997.

Shots were heard near the building, several sources said at the time.

An army spokesman later announced on national TV that defence and security forces had stopped “an attempted coup d’etat”.

The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a “naturalised American” and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said.

During questioning, the defendants arrested near the Palais de la Nation put the blame on Malanga.

Others detained elsewhere in the capital Kinshasa, including four women, have denied any involvement.

Richard Bondo, a defence lawyer for one of the American defendants, told AFP that the prosecutors’ call for the death penalty was “very severe”.

The defence is due to present its case on Friday.

The Congolese Republican Guard diverts traffic from the scene of an attempted Coup in Kinshasa on May 19, 2024. Picture: Arsene Mpiana / AFP

‘Forced’ to join

The three Americans on trial at the Kinshasa military court include Malanga’s son Marcel Malanga.

Tyler Thompson, another of the American defendants, told the trial last month that he had been “forced” into it, echoing the two other US citizens facing the same charge.

“I came to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) to visit Marcel’s family who I had never seen before,” he added.

Malanga also told the court that he had been forced into participating by his father, saying: “He told us he would kill us if we didn’t listen.”

Malanga said his father had woken him up late on the night of May 18, ordering him to take a weapon.

The third American who is being tried – Benjamin Zalman-Polun – also said he was “kidnapped” and “forced” into taking part.

In March, the Congolese government defied criticism from human rights organisations and lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in place since 2003.

Lawyers for the Americans have complained that their clients were interrogated in French, without an interpreter, despite being English speakers.

The defendants also include a Belgian, a Briton and a Canadian who are all naturalised Congolese.

The trial began on June 7 in Ndolo military prison, where all the defendants are being held.

The charges include “attack, terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war, attempted assassination, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism”, according to a court document.

In a separate case earlier this month, a military court in DRC handed death sentences to all 26 defendants accused of belonging to the M23 rebel group after a high-profile trial.