Three Americans accused of involvement in last month’s attempted coup in Congo faced a military court in Kinshasa on Friday, alongside dozens of other defendants. The botched coup led by opposition figure Christian Malanga resulted in six deaths and targeted the presidential palace and a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi.
Malanga was shot dead during his arrest, and now his 21-year-old son Marcel Malanga, along with two other Americans, Tyler Thompson Jr and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, are on trial for their alleged roles in the attack. Thompson’s family claimed he was lured to Africa by Marcel under false pretenses of a vacation, only to be implicated in the coup attempt.
Thompson, seen in court with a shaved head and looking nervous, maintained his innocence, stating he had no knowledge of Malanga’s intentions. Zalman-Polun, with a history of marijuana trafficking, reportedly knew Malanga through a gold mining company in Mozambique.
The U.S. embassy in Congo has not provided consular services to the defendants, and a Belgian-Congolese researcher, Jean-Jacques Wondo, was also detained without clear evidence against him. Human Rights Watch called for credible charges or the immediate release of Wondo and others, stating that an arrest based on an old photo is not credible.
The trial continues as the defendants face serious charges including terrorism, murder, and criminal association, with the potential for severe penalties, including death. The case has drawn international attention and raised questions about the involvement of foreign nationals in the attempted coup in Congo.