ANADOLU AGENCY
The president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has commuted the death sentences of three Americans to life imprisonment for their roles in last year’s failed coup, an official announced Wednesday.
A presidential order reduced the sentences of Marcel Malanga Malu, Taylor Christa Thomson, and Zalman Polun Benjamin, all convicted alongside 34 others by a military court in Kinshasa in September 2024. They were found guilty of criminal association and terrorism.
The coup attempt, led by opposition figure Christian Malanga in May 2024, targeted the presidential palace and the residence of former National Assembly President Vital Kamerhe. Malanga was fatally shot while resisting arrest after live-streaming the attack. His son, Marcel Malanga, was among the convicted Americans.
The decision coincides with a scheduled visit by US officials Massad Boulos and Corina Sanders, who will travel to Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda to discuss regional stability and peace efforts in eastern Congo.