Three Americans Face Death Penalty for Alleged Role in Congo Coup Attempt
In a shocking development, Congolese prosecutors have requested the death penalty for 50 individuals, including three Americans, accused of attempting a coup earlier this year. The three American citizens, Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr., and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, are among the 50 defendants facing charges that carry the death penalty.
According to prosecutors, the defendants, whose trial opened in June, are accused of multiple crimes, including terrorism, murder, and criminal association. The charges stem from a botched coup attempt led by opposition figure Christian Malanga, which resulted in the deaths of six people. Malanga was fatally shot while resisting arrest and had live-streamed the attack on social media.
Malanga’s 21-year-old son, Marcel, a U.S. citizen, and two other Americans are on trial for their alleged role in the attack. Marcel’s mother, Brittney Sawyer, has spoken out, claiming her son is innocent and followed his father, who considered himself president of a shadow government in exile.
Tyler Thompson Jr., 21, a college student from Utah, was invited on a vacation to Africa by the elder Malanga, along with a teammate. However, Thompson’s family believes he had no knowledge of Malanga’s intentions and did not plan to join him on a “security job” in Congo. They claim Thompson had only planned to travel to South Africa and Eswatini with the Malangas.
Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, is the third American on trial. He is reported to have known Malanga through a gold mining company established in Mozambique in 2022.
The Congolese army’s decision to reinstate the death penalty this year has raised concerns over human rights and the country’s violent and militant attacks. If the death penalty is imposed, it will mark a significant shift in the country’s judicial system.
The trials have sparked international attention, with questions about the fate of the three American citizens who may face the death penalty.
