Brit and three Americans may face death penalty for failed Congo coup

28 May 2024 , 08:46

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Father and son, Marcel and Christian Malanga, pictured in combat gear

Three Americans and a man said to be a British citizen may face death sentences after a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The four, who tried to overthrow the president of the country in central Africa, were arrested and have been cooperating with investigators at a secure location. They will be "handed to a military tribunal" and dealt with like any other enemy of the state, a military official said.

Major General Sylvain Ekenge said: "The interrogation continues. After that they will be dealt with by and handed to a military tribunal, not the regular court. They must be judged here in Congo."

READ MORE: Lucky man avoids taking part in failed coup after choosing to stay in with his girlfriend

Coup leader Christian Malanga with Marcel inside the presidential palace

The military spokesman said he did not know if the death penalty could be applied to the four men, but said it applies "in the context of the military and those who take up arms in the rebellion." Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson, Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun and Ezangi Youssouf were involved in the failed coup attempt pushed by Christian Malanga, a self-styled opposition who lived living in Utah and was killed while resisting arrest.

'I ventured into Alcatraz after dark and was terrified by what I saw and heard'

Malanga, his son Marcel, and their group of around 20 men are said to have tried to force their way into the government complex. Six people were killed during the failed coup attempt in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, in the early hours of May 19.

The mothers of 21-year-old Marcel and Thompson pleaded their sons' cases saying they were duped into taking part, but Ekenge said that even if they were not masterminds, they "ended up with weapons in their hands and ammunition and wearing uniforms at the Palais de la Nation." Ekenge added: "If their sons were misled, that is not our business. They were among a force led by Christian Malanga who proclaimed himself president of the republic that killed police officers, stole a car and killed the owner."

Felix Tshisekedi was reelected as president of Congo in December in a chaotic vote amid calls for a revote from the opposition over what they said was a lack of transparency. The Central African country has witnessed similar trends of disputed elections in the past.

The suspects cower in fear after their arrest

The four men are being interrogated

Thompson had played high school football with Marcel in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Jordan and was the only former teammate to accept his invitation to travel to Congo, according to several other players who said they had been invited. Marcel had pitched the trip to many of his high school friends in the months leading up to the foiled coup attempt.

Some said he had invited them on a family vacation, while others, including former football teammate Jaden Lalor, said he had pitched it as a service trip to build wells. Teammates recounted Marcel’s increasing desperation as friend after friend declined.

Alleged Brit Ezangi Youssou took part in the failed coup

"He did call me to ask if I wanted to go to Africa for vacation, as well as a few of my other friends, but he did not offer to take more than a single one of us at a time," said Luke Barbee, another former teammate who lived with Marcel last year. "He only asked so many of us because he kept getting denied until Tyler said yes to the trip."

Youssouf, who has been described as British by Congolese authorities and reportedly lives in London, said he had been told by Malanga that the plan had "American backing". The gunmen live-streamed the short rebellion at the Palais de la Nation. They filmed themselves waving the flag of Zaire, the name of the DRC while former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko was in power, before being overthrown in 1997.

Chiara Fiorillo