A military court in Congo has sentenced 37 individuals, including three Americans, to death for rebellion against the government.
The group also comprises a British national, a Belgian, and a Canadian. This ruling comes after an armed takeover of the presidential office on May 19. The defendants have five days to appeal their sentences.
Security forces reportedly killed the alleged leader of the rebellion, Christian Malanga, a Congolese-American politician, effectively quashing the insurrection. Among those on trial are Malanga’s 20-year-old son, Marcel, and his friend, Taylor Thompson, both of whom were involved in the events.
The third American, Benjamin Zeilman Polon, was linked to Malanga’s business activities. All three were found guilty of conspiracy, terrorism, and related offenses.
Marcel Malanga testified that his father had threatened to kill him if he did not join the rebellion. He added that he traveled to Congo for the first time at his father’s invitation after a prolonged separation.
In addition to the Americans, about 50 others from the U.S., UK, Canada, Belgium, and Congo face rebellion charges.
The death sentences were announced at the Andolo military prison near Kinshasa and were televised.
The trial for the attempted coup began in July, following the events of May. Matthew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, confirmed that embassy staff attended the hearing and will continue to monitor the situation. He noted that under Congolese law, there is an option to appeal the court’s decision.
