Three Americans convicted of being part of a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been repatriated to the US, the country’s presidency said Tuesday.
The three, whose ages range between 23 and 36, had previously been sentenced to death, before their sentences were commuted to life in prison last week.
DR Congo’s presidency said the repatriation is “part of a dynamic of strengthening judicial diplomacy and international cooperation in matters of justice and human rights” between Kinshasa and Washington.
The three repatriated US citizens include 21-year-old Marcel Malanga, the son of DR Congo opposition figure Christian Malanga, who led the failed coup attempt back in May last year and was killed by security forces; Tyler Thompson Jr., a friend of Malanga, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36.
The three were among 37 people sentenced to death by a military court in DR Congo in September over their involvement in the foiled coup.
The State Department said it was aware of the three’s transfer to US custody, with International law experts saying the shortening of their sentences by the US is unlikely.
As part of the alleged coup attempt, dozens of armed men attacked the home of then-economy minister Vital Kamerhe, then continuing to a building where the offices of President Felix Tshisekedi are located.
After flying flags of Zaire, DR Congo’s name under ex-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko who was overthrown in 1997, the group of men then filmed themselves proclaiming the end of the regime.
The repatriation follows high-level talks between the countries over security and mineral deals, with President Donald Trump’s administration being open to critical mineral partnerships, the State Department told the Reuters news agency last month.
While DR Congo would like the US to play a bigger role in its security — the violence between Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese army has been escalating in the country’s east — Washington wants to secure greater access to the African country’s minerals, which are used in mobile phones and electric cars.
The US has estimated DR Congo’s mineral wealth to be in the trillions of dollars, with much of it being still untapped.
The country’s minerals are currently largely extracted by Chinese mining companies.
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