Three American citizens convicted over a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been repatriated to the United States this week, following the exchange of their death sentences to life imprisonment by Congolese authorities.
The transfer confirmed on Tuesday, April 8, comes at a moment as Kinshasa pushes for a multibillion-dollar minerals-for-security deal with Washington aimed at countering Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern DRC.
The three Americans namely Marcel Malanga, 21, Tyler Thompson Jr., 21 and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36 were part of a group of 37 individuals convicted in September 2024 for their involvement in a bizarre and deadly attempted coup d’état at the presidential palace in Kinshasa.
The operation, led by exiled Congolese-American Christian Malanga (Marcel’s father), ended in his death after he live-streamed the assault before being gunned down by Congolese forces.
Speaking on behalf of President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration, presidential spokesperson Tina Salama confirmed that the three Americans would serve out their life sentences in the US, under the terms of an existing prisoner transfer treaty.
The move marks a rare high-profile case of international legal cooperation involving terrorism and coup charges.
“This was not a rescue,” clarified a US State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce. “We condemn the violent attacks on DRC’s democratic institutions and while we respect Congolese sovereignty, we also emphasize the humane treatment and fair trial rights of US citizens abroad.”
Malanga’s son, Marcel, who appeared tearful during court proceedings claimed he was coerced by his father into joining the attack.
Thompson, a friend reportedly lured by the promise of an African vacation and Zalman-Polun, linked to Christian Malanga through a gold mining venture also insisted they had been misled.
Their legal ordeal which saw them imprisoned in military detention under harrowing conditions has gripped human rights organizations and families across the US.
Reports say the men endured overcrowded cells, floor sleeping and paid-for hygiene during their detainment.
“We are just relieved he is alive and back on home soil,” said Miranda Thompson, Tyler’s stepmother. “This was a nightmare. We had no idea what he was walking into.”
This repatriation although framed as a legal procedure comes as the US and DRC inch closer to sealing a high-stakes strategic partnership.
According to Massad Boulos, US senior adviser for Africa, the two nations are finalizing negotiations that could see the US invest billions into Congo’s critical minerals sector, in exchange for defense and intelligence support against the M23 rebellion.
The DRC is home to vast deposits of cobalt, lithium and coltan minerals essential to powering electric vehicles and advanced technologies.
With increasing global demand, particularly from the West, Congo’s mineral-rich soil has become a battleground not just for economic interests but for regional dominance involving Rwanda, China and now increasingly, the US.
Notably, Boulos who has family ties to US President Donald Trump through marriage is expected in Kinshasa this week to further negotiate tensions and security cooperation with President Tshisekedi’s administration.
While the fate of the remaining 34 convicted foreigners, including a Belgian, a Canadian and a Briton all naturalized Congolese, remains unclear, the return of the three Americans is already triggering debate on international justice, diplomacy and the ethics of foreign intervention.
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