Americans transferred from Congo prisons after life sentence deal
Three Americans who received death sentences for their participation in last year's failed coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which were converted to life imprisonment a few days ago, have returned to the United States, where they will serve the rest of their prison sentences, wrote Tina Salama, the spokeswoman for President Felix Tshisekedi, on X on Tuesday.
The Americans, who were sentenced to death for their involvement in the failed coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have returned to the United States. Their sentences were recently converted to life imprisonment. This information was shared by Tina Salama, the spokeswoman for the President of DR Congo, on the platform X.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed at a press conference that Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, Tyler Thompson, and Marcel Malanga, who led the attack on the presidential palace in May of last year, were transferred to American custody.
A total of 37 people were sentenced to death in connection with the alleged coup, including a Belgian, a British, and a Canadian, all naturalized Congolese.
Trump's adviser intervened
The decision to send the coup participants back to the USA came after the visit of Massad Boulous, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, to DR Congo. He spoke with President Felix Tshisekedi about potential US involvement in mineral extraction and investments in exchange for ensuring security in the ongoing conflict with rebels supported by Rwanda.
The Trump administration did not reveal how it might ensure this security, but a former defense official suggested it could include providing soldiers or instructors to train Congolese forces.
According to the Modern War Institute, if the USA rejects Tshisekedi's request, DR Congo may turn to Russia for help, which is expanding its presence in Africa.
The eastern part of DR Congo is rich in minerals, including cobalt, which is crucial for the production of mobile phones and electric cars. Currently, most of these resources are exploited by China.
