Tue Apr 08 22:40:18 UTC 2025: ## US Repatriates Three Citizens Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in DRC Coup Attempt
**KINSHASA, DRC** – Three American citizens, initially sentenced to death for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have been repatriated to the United States. The DRC commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment last week, allowing for their transfer.
The men, identified as Marcel Malanga (son of the deceased coup leader Christian Malanga), Tyler Thompson Jr., and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, will serve their life sentences in US prisons. Congolese Presidential spokesperson Tina Salama confirmed the transfer, stating the US will assume responsibility for their incarceration.
The US Department of State confirmed the repatriation, emphasizing its condemnation of the armed attack while simultaneously highlighting its commitment to fair legal processes and humane treatment of its citizens abroad. This repatriation is standard procedure when the US assumes custody of prisoners convicted overseas.
The transfer comes amidst high-level negotiations between the US and DRC concerning a potential minerals deal. In exchange for substantial US security assistance to combat Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo, the DRC is considering a deal involving “multibillion-dollar investments” in its vast mineral resources. US senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, is scheduled to visit the DRC to discuss these matters and address escalating tensions between Congo and Rwanda.
While the families of the repatriated Americans expressed relief, the fate of other individuals sentenced in connection with the coup attempt remains unclear. Thirty-seven people, including citizens of Belgium, Britain, and Canada, received death sentences following the May 2023 attack on the presidential palace. Concerns had previously been raised regarding the prisoners’ conditions in a Kinshasa prison.
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