3 US citizens among 37 sentenced to death in Congo for role in failed coup

Kinshasa, Sep 14 : A military court in Congo has sentenced to death 37 people, including three US citizens, for their role in a failed coup in the African country earlier this year.

The convicts were charged with criminal association, attack, terrorism as well as financing terrorism.

Three more foreigners –- one each from the UK, Belgium and Canada –- are also among the convicts.

The trial began in July in the case that relates to a night raid and failed coup in May by opposition figure Christian Malanga, who launched an attack on the presidential palace as well as the residence of Vital Kamerhe, the President of the country's National Assembly.

Malanga, however, was fatally shot while resisting arrest soon after live-streaming the attack on his social media, according to the Congolese Army.

The slain Malanga's son Marcel Malanga, 21, is among three US citizens who were sentenced to death.

Fourteen defendants were acquitted and all of the convicts have five days to appeal.

Marcel Malanga was among the Americans on trial, along with Marcel's friend Tyler Thompson who played high school football with him in Utah. Both are in their 20s.

The third American, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, was a business associate of Christian Malanga.

All three were found guilty of criminal conspiracy, terrorism and other charges, and sentenced to death in a ruling read out on live TV.

Malanga had previously told the court that his father had threatened to kill him unless he participated. He also told the court it was his first time visiting Congo at the invitation of his father, whom he hadn't seen in years.

The Americans are among around 50 people, including US, British, Canadian, Belgian and Congolese citizens, standing trial following the failed coup.

The verdict was read out under a tent in the yard of Ndolo military prison on the outskirts of Kinshasa. The defendants were seated in front of the judge, wearing blue and yellow prison-issued tops.

The trial began in July.