The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi has downgraded the death sentences of three United States citizens convicted for taking part in a failed coup attempt last year, reducing their punishments to life imprisonment.
Tshisekedi issued the commutation on Tuesday, according to presidential spokesperson Tina Salam, six months after the US nationals – along with 34 others – were sentenced to death on charges of “terrorism” and “criminal association”.
Six people were killed during the botched coup attempt in May last year, led by little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga.
Malaga, along with a crew of armed men, targeted the presidential palace in Kinshasa as well as a close ally of Tshisekedi.
Malanga was fatally shot while resisting arrest soon after livestreaming the attack on his social media, the Congolese army said.
Malanga’s 21-year-old son, Marcel Malanga, who is a US citizen, was among those convicted of participating in the coup.
The other US nationals are Tyler Thompson Jr, 21, a high school friend of the younger Malanga who flew to Africa from Utah for what his family believed was a free vacation, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, who is reported to have known Christian Malanga through a gold mining company.
Marcel Malanga told the court that his father had forced him and Thompson to take part in the attack.
“Dad had threatened to kill us if we did not follow his orders,” he said previously during hearings.
Most of the others convicted of involvement in the rebellion attempt were Congolese but also included a Briton, Belgian and Canadian.
The Americans’ commutation comes amid efforts by Congolese authorities to sign minerals deal with the US in exchange for security support to help Kinshasa fight rebels in the conflict-hit eastern region.
On Tuesday, the US State Department announced that President Donald Trump’s new senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos, will travel to DRC early this month to advance efforts for sustainable peace in eastern DRC and boost private sector investment.
