Congo repatriates 3 People who had confronted dying sentences over a failed coup plot
The three People convicted for collaborating in a botched coup try in Congo final yr have been repatriated to the USA, days after their dying sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment, Congo’s presidency mentioned Tuesday.
The three will serve their sentences within the U.S. following the repatriation performed in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, Congolese presidential spokesperson Tina Salama mentioned on X.
Federal prosecutors unsealed a felony grievance within the District of Utah Wednesday, charging all three defendants — Marcel Malanga, 22; Tyler Thompson, 22; and Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37 — and a fourth man, Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, with a number of costs related to conspiring to unlawfully perform a coup d’état within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Malanga, Thompson and Zalman-Polun will make their preliminary court docket appearances in federal court docket in Brooklyn, the Division of Justice mentioned in a press release. Additional authorized proceedings are set to happen in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah. Moesser is predicted to seem on April 10 on the federal courthouse in Salt Lake Metropolis.
The State Division mentioned it was conscious of their switch into U.S. custody and referred inquiries to the Justice Division.
“They’re in our custody and we additionally strongly condemn the armed assaults of Might 19 and help the DRC authorities in holding these accountable appropriately accountable,” State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce mentioned in a information briefing Tuesday. “On the similar time, we search constant, compassionate, humane remedy and a good authorized course of on behalf of these U.S. residents.”
Samy Ntumba Shambuyi / AP
Malanga is the son of opposition determine Christian Malanga, who led the foiled coup try that focused the presidential palace in Kinshasa. The elder Malanga, who live-streamed from the palace throughout the try, was later killed whereas resisting arrest, Congolese authorities mentioned.
Malanga, who had declared himself “President of New Zaire,” was a wealthy businessman and former captain within the Congolese military. He stood for elections in 2011 however was arrested and detained for a number of weeks. Marcel Malanga has mentioned his father pressured him to participate within the botched coup try that left six individuals lifeless.
Additionally repatriated have been Thompson, a good friend of the youthful Malanga who flew to Africa from Utah for what his household believed was a free trip, and Zalman-Polun, who’s reported to have recognized Christian Malanga by way of a gold mining firm.
The information of their repatriation introduced pleasure to households. Thompson’s stepmother, Miranda Thompson, informed the AP they did not have all the small print on the return, “however we’re so excited to have him on American soil once more.”
The pardon and repatriation got here amid efforts by Congolese authorities to signal a minerals cope with the U.S. in alternate for safety help that may assist Kinshasa struggle rebels within the nation’s conflict-hit east.
Rick Bowmer / AP
The discharge of the U.S. residents comes every week after the Division of State introduced it appointed Massad Boulos as senior adviser for Africa. Boulos traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on April 3 and met with the federal government officers and enterprise leaders “to advance efforts for sturdy peace” and to “promote U.S. personal sector funding within the area,” in response to Bruce’s workplace.
Boulos final week confirmed the nations have been in talks on the difficulty and mentioned it might contain “multi-billion-dollar investments.” The U.S. has estimated Congo has trillions of {dollars} in mineral wealth, a lot of it untapped.
“This resolution is a part of a dynamic of strengthening judicial diplomacy and worldwide cooperation in issues of justice and human rights between the 2 nations,” Congo’s presidency mentioned Tuesday of the repatriation.
Dozens of others have been convicted after the coup try, a majority of them Congolese but additionally together with a Briton, a Belgian and a Canadian. Fees included terrorism, homicide, felony affiliation and unlawful possession of weapons.
The destiny of the others was not instantly clear.
Congo had reinstated the dying penalty final yr, lifting a greater than two-decade-old moratorium, as authorities battle to curb violence and militant assaults.
Relations final yr mentioned the lads slept on the ground at a high-security army jail in Kinshasa, combating well being points and having to pay for meals and hygiene merchandise.
