Americans among 37 people sentenced to death for Congo coup attempt
Three American citizens, a Canadian, and 33 other individuals received deaths sentences this week for the respective roles they played in May’s failed coup attempt to overthrow the Congolese president.
The U.S. State Department acknowledged Friday that Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, and Marcel Malanga and Tyler Thompson Jr., both 21, were tried in a military courꦺt and condemned to death, .
The same punishment was 🐓doled out to a British citizen and a Belgian, who also participated in the M🐼ay 19 overthrow attempt at the presidential palace, known as Palais de la Nation.
Six died during the failed uprising, including mastermind Christian Malanga, 41, who came to the US as a teen refugee and was a car dealer in Utah before returning to ဣhis native country. Marcel Malanga is his son.
Most of the other defendants✱ who tried to oust President Félix Tshiseked🐲i are Congolese.
Malanga, a 🦹father of eight, returned to the Congo to serve as an officer battling rebels and then later ran for office to fight government corruption.
Marcel Malanga reportedly told the court his father forced him and Thompson, a high school frꦐiend, to take part in the coup attempt𓆉, threatening to kill them if they refused.
A lawyer for Malanda and Thompsoꦇn told reporters he intends to appeal the verdict.
Utah Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney are said to be engaged with the State Dep🤡artment over the matter, Fox News reported.
With Post wires.
