Three Americans convicted for their role in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last year have had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. They were among 37 individuals sentenced to death by a military court in September.
The three were accused of leading an attack on both the presidential palace and the home of an ally of President Félix Tshisekedi in May of the previous year. The decision to overturn their sentences comes just ahead of a visit to the DRC by a newly appointed senior advisor for Africa from the United States.
The US has not officially classified the three Americans as wrongfully jailed, but discussions between the two countries have taken place regarding the matter. The convicted individuals faced charges of criminal conspiracy, terrorism, and other related offenses, which they denied.
The suspected leader of the plot, Christian Malanga, a US citizen of Congolese descent, was killed during the attack, along with five others. In total, 51 people stood trial in a military court, with the proceedings being broadcast nationwide. Fourteen individuals were acquitted and released after being found to have no connection to the attack.
Although death sentences have not been carried out in the DRC for about two decades, those sentenced to death typically serve life imprisonment instead. However, the government recently lifted this moratorium, citing a need to eliminate “traitors” from the country’s military ranks. Despite this policy change, no executions have taken place since the moratorium was lifted.
On Tuesday, President Tshisekedi signed orders commuting the death sentences of the three Americans. A spokesperson for the presidency stated that they had been granted “individual clemency.” A lawyer representing one of the convicted individuals described the presidential pardon as a step toward potential further changes in the case.
Jean-Jacques Wondo, a dual citizen of the DRC and Belgium, who was also sentenced to death, was transferred to Belgium in February due to health concerns. It remains unclear whether the American convicts could also be sent back to the US to serve out their sentences.
The fate of other foreign nationals sentenced in the case, including individuals from Britain, Belgium, and Canada, remains uncertain.
The coup attempt began in Kinshasa during the early hours of May 19, when armed men first targeted the residence of the parliamentary speaker before proceeding toward the president’s official residence. Witnesses reported that around 20 attackers, dressed in army uniforms, stormed the palace, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
