The Congo repatria to 3 Americans who had faced death sentences by a fouling plot
/ News/ AP
The three Americans condemned for participating in An attempt with a coup in the Congo Last year he has been repatriated to the United States, days later His death sentences were switched For life imprisonment, Congo’s presidency said Tuesday.
The three will fulfill their prayers in the United States after the repatriation carried out in collaboration with the United States Embassy, said Congolese presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama in X.
Federal prosecutors revealed a criminal complaint in the Utah district on Wednesday, accusing the three defendants: Marcel Malanga, 22; Tyler Thompson, 22; and Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and a fourth man, Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, with multiple positions connected to conspiracy to illegally carry out a coup d’etat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Malanga, Thompson and Zalman-Polun will make their appearances in the initial court in a federal court in Brooklyn, said the Department of Justice in a statement. Other legal procedures will be carried out in Salt Lake City, Utah. Moesser is expected to appear on April 10 at the Federal Justice Palace in Salt Lake City.
The State Department said he was aware of his transfer to custody of the United States and sent questions to the Department of Justice.
“They are in our custody and we also strongly condemn the armed attacks on May 19 and support the RDC authorities to hold those responsible for those responsible,” said the state department spokesman Tammy Bruce, at a news conference on Tuesday. “At the same time, we seek consistent, compassionate and human treatment and a legal process just in the name of those US citizens.”
Malanga is the son of the figure of the opposition Christian Malanga, who directed the frustrated coup attempt that went to the presidential palace in Kinshasa. The old Malanga, who broadcast live from the palace during the attempt, was later murdered while resisting the arrest, the Congolese authorities said.
Malanga, who had declared “President of Nueva Zaire”, was a rich business man and former captain of the Congolese army. He presented himself to the elections in 2011, but was arrested and detained for several weeks. Marcel Malanga has said that his father forced him to participate in the attempted attempted coup d’etat that left six people dead.
Thompson, a friend of the young Malanga who flew to Africa from Utah for what his family believed they were a free vacation, and Zalman-Polun, who reports that he knew Christian Malanga through a gold mining company, were also repatriated.
The news of his repatriation brought joy to families. Thompson’s stepmother, Miranda Thompson, told the AP that they didn’t have all the details about the return: “But we are very excited to have it again on American soil.”
Forgiveness and repatriation occurred in the midst of the efforts of the Congolese authorities to sign a mineral agreement with the United States in exchange for security support that will help Kinshasa fight against the rebels in the The east of the country’s conflicts.
The launch of American citizens occurs a week after the State Department announced that he appointed Massad Bouleos as the main advisor of Africa. Bouls traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on April 3 and met with government officials and business leaders “to advance efforts for lasting peace” and “Promote the investment of the US private sector in the region,” according to Bruce’s office.
Last week, Bouls confirmed that countries were in conversations on the subject and said it could involve “multimillion -dollar investments.” The United States has estimated that Congo has billion dollars in mineral wealthmuch of that without exploiting.
“This decision is part of a dynamic to strengthen judicial diplomacy and international cooperation in matters of justice and human rights between the two countries,” said the presidency of the Congo on Tuesday about repatriation.
Dozens of others were convicted after the attempted attempted, most of them Congolese but also including a British, a Belgian and a Canadian. The charges included terrorism, murder, criminal association and illegal possession of weapons.
The destiny of others was not clear immediately.
Congo had restored the death penalty last year, raising a moratorium of more than two decades, since the authorities fight to stop violence and militant attacks.
Family members last year said men slept on the floor in a high security military prison in Kinshasafighting with health problems and having to pay for food and hygiene products.
- In:
- Congo Democratic Republic