Thirty-seven people were sentenced to death recently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for their involvement in an attempted coup of the President. Among those sentenced were three Americans, a Briton, a Belgian, and a Canadian national.

These men were charged with organizing an attack on the Presidential Palace and the home of an ally of President Félix Tshisekedi in May 2024. They were armed and dressed in military uniforms and engaged in gunfights with the security forces.

Leader Behind the Plan, Christian Malanga

The suspected leader of the plan, identified as Christian Malanga, a US national of Congolese descent, along with five others, were killed in the attack. The military court heard 51 defendants in all, with proceedings aired on national radio and television.

37 people charged with Death Penalty

Marcel Malanga, Christian Malanga’s son, one of the US citizens sentenced to death, previously told the court that his father had threatened to kill him unless he took part.

Tyler Thompson, one of Marcel’s friends from Utah, also received the death penalty. His stepmother, Miranda Thompson, said their family completely had no idea how things would end up in DR Congo.

 “We were in complete shock as to what was happening, and the unknown. Everything we were learning was what we were getting off Google,” she added.

Furthermore, it came out that the third American named Benjamin Zalman-Polun convicted of the death penalty had business ties with Christian Malanga.

He was pronounced to death with charges of terrorism, murder, and criminal association.

Another person who was sentenced to death was Jean-Jacques Wondo, a dual Congolese and Belgian citizen. He was a military expert and researcher for his work on political and security issues in Africa’s Great Lakes region. The court called him the “intellectual perpetrator” and “shaper” of the coup.

Meanwhile, his family members have been vocal about his innocence, they have been releasing videos addressing the president and pleading for his release. His wife, Nathalie Kayembe Wondo, has also been particularly active in defense of his freedom.

Additionally, it has been reported Briton and Canadian nationals suspected in the case were of Congolese origin. While 14 of the 52 defendants who tried for the military court were not found guilty and had no involvement with the attack. The court has also given a chance to those convicted to have five days to file against their death penalty in front of the court.

Death Penalty carried out after 2 decades

This is to be noted that in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, death penalties have been carried out after 20 years. Instead, those convicted were served life imprisonment. In March 2024, the government of the Congo removed the sanctions, to remove traitors from the nation’s dysfunctional army. However, before this, there were no death penalties given.