US Citizens Repatriated After Congo Conviction in Coup Attempt Case

Three American citizens sentenced to death for a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been transferred back to US custody after having their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

Key Takeaways

Three Americans convicted in a Congolese coup plot have been repatriated to the United States after their death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.
The repatriated individuals include Marcel Malanga (son of coup leader Christian Malanga who was killed during arrest), Tyler Thompson Jr., and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun.
The prisoners’ transfer comes amid negotiations between the US and Congo regarding multibillion-dollar mineral investments and security assistance.
While the Americans’ families have expressed relief at their return, legal experts noted that further sentence reductions are unlikely under prisoner transfer agreements, and the individuals are now also facing charges in the US.
The DRC reinstated the death penalty last year amid rising militant violence, with 37 people in total being sentenced in connection with this coup attempt.

From Death Row to US Custody

The Democratic Republic of Congo has transferred three American citizens back to US custody following their conviction in a failed 2023 coup attempt. Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr., and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun were facing death sentences before Congo agreed to commute their punishments to life imprisonment as part of the repatriation agreement. The transfer was coordinated through the US Embassy in Kinshasa, with the State Department confirming the Americans are now in US custody but referring further questions to the Justice Department.

The Americans were convicted alongside dozens of others, including a Briton, a Belgian, and a Canadian, all in connection with the May 2023 coup attempt led by Christian Malanga, a former Utah resident and Congolese politician who was killed during his arrest. According to court records, the group attacked the home of Congo’s economy minister and a building housing President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices while waving flags of Zaire, the country’s former name, and declaring an end to the current regime.

Families Express Relief

The families of the three Americans have welcomed the news of their return to US soil after enduring reports of harsh conditions in the high-security military prison in Kinshasa. Miranda Thompson, mother of Tyler Thompson Jr., expressed gratitude for her son’s return, though the full circumstances of the repatriation agreement remain unclear. Thompson’s family has maintained that he believed he was simply on a free vacation to Africa when he became involved in the plot.

Marcel Malanga, son of the coup leader, has claimed he was forced to participate in his father’s plot. All three Americans reportedly faced poor conditions in the Congolese prison, with inmates reportedly having to pay for basic necessities and suffering health issues. The Congo government described the repatriation as “part of a dynamic of strengthening judicial diplomacy and international cooperation in matters of justice and human rights between the two countries.”

Mineral Deals and Security Cooperation

The timing of the Americans’ return came as negotiations were underway between the United States and Congo regarding potential multibillion-dollar investments in the African nation’s vast mineral resources. Congo possesses significant deposits of cobalt, copper, and other minerals essential for modern technology, most of which are currently extracted by Chinese companies. The Biden administration has expressed interest in securing greater American access to these strategic resources.

Simultaneously, Congo is seeking American security assistance to combat Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in its eastern regions. Massad Boulos, a senior US adviser for Africa, is reportedly involved in these discussions and has plans to visit the DRC. The prisoner transfer has been viewed by some analysts as a diplomatic gesture intended to facilitate these broader negotiations, though neither government has explicitly linked the two issues.

Three Americans convicted of being part of a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were repatriated to the US. This comes as Kinshasa and Washington look to seal deals involving minerals and security. https://t.co/dM0W9AwluO

— DW News (@dwnews) April 9, 2025

Legal Implications and Future Prospects

While the Americans have escaped execution, legal experts cautioned that further sentence reductions may be difficult to obtain. Jared Genser, an international human rights lawyer, noted that under typical prisoner transfer agreements, the receiving country honors the sentence designated by the convicting nation. The three Americans have also, as of Wednesday, been charged by the US Justice Department with staging the coup.

The DRC reinstated the death penalty last year in response to increasing violence and militant attacks throughout the country. The coup attempt for which these Americans were convicted resulted in death sentences for 37 people total, highlighting the seriousness with which Congo’s government viewed the threat. The State Department has maintained that it advocated for “consistent, compassionate, humane treatment and a fair legal process” for the Americans throughout their detention in Congo.