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 court and condemned to death, Fox News reported.
The same punishment was doled out to a British citizen and a Belgian, who also participated in the May 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 his native country. Marcel Malanga is his son.
Most of the other defendants who tried to oust President Félix Tshisekedi 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 friend, to take part in the coup attempt, threatening to kill them if they refused.
A lawyer for Malanda and Thompson told reporters he intends to appeal the verdict.
Utah Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney are said to be engaged with the State Department over the matter, Fox News reported.
With Post wires.
