US Death Sentences Commuted in DR Congo Coup Case

The Democratic Republic of Congo has commuted the death sentences of three Americans involved in a failed coup attempt, coinciding with diplomatic engagements between the US and Congo, raising questions about the inmates' future.

Three Americans convicted in connection with a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year have had their death sentences transformed into life imprisonment, according to the presidency. The trio were among 37 individuals sentenced by a military court in September for their involvement in an attack on both President Félix Tshisekedi's palace and the residence of one of his allies in May 2022.

This significant legal shift comes as the newly appointed US senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, prepares to visit the DRC, expected to arrive in Kinshasa on Thursday, potentially affecting US-Congo relations. Although the US has not classified the three Americans as wrongfully imprisoned, discussions have taken place between the two nations regarding the case.

Accused of conspiracy and terrorism, the Americans—Marcel Malanga Malu, Tyler Thompson, and Benjamin Zalman Polun—have consistently denied the allegations. Reportedly, the operations were led by Christian Malanga, a US citizen of Congolese origin, who died during the attempted coup, which resulted in the deaths of five others.

In total, 51 individuals faced trial in the military court, with broadcasts of the hearings on national media. The court acquitted 14 individuals, clearing them of any involvement in the coup plot. Although death sentences have been absent in the DRC for around 20 years, the government retracted this moratorium in March, citing a need for military reform. However, executions have not resumed as of yet.

On Tuesday, President Tshisekedi issued orders to commute the death sentences of the three Americans, as confirmed by presidential spokesperson Tina Salama. This act of clemency signals potential changes ahead, as remarked by Ckiness Ciamba, a lawyer for Malanga. In a similar vein, Jean-Jacques Wondo, a dual Congolese-Belgian national sentenced to death, has recently been moved to Belgium due to health concerns.

It remains unclear whether the Americans might serve their sentences in the US, as questions linger about the fates of other condemned individuals involved in the coup attempt, including other foreign nationals from Canada and the UK. The coup unfolded in Kinshasa on May 19, when armed forces attacked significant political figures' homes, culminating in gunfire at the presidential residence.

The ongoing developments prompt a deeper investigation into the tenuous political landscape of the DRC and the implications for international relations.