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Three American citizens convicted for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been repatriated to the United States to serve the remainder of their sentences.
Originally sentenced to death by a military court, their punishments were commuted to life imprisonment just last week. The men—Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman Polun Benjamin—were flown out of Kinshasa on Tuesday in a transfer coordinated with U.S. officials.
Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, confirmed the men are now “in our custody.” Details of the legal arrangement behind their transfer have not been disclosed.
The DR Congo presidency said the move adhered to “strict legal procedures” and forms part of broader judicial cooperation between the two countries. A statement described the repatriation as a step toward strengthening “judicial diplomacy and international collaboration on justice and human rights.”
The Americans were among 37 individuals sentenced to death last September for their roles in the attempted overthrow of President Félix Tshisekedi’s government. The plot included attacks on the presidential palace and the home of one of Tshisekedi’s allies. All three Americans denied the charges of criminal conspiracy, terrorism, and attempted insurrection.
The reported mastermind, Christian Malanga—a U.S. national of Congolese descent and father of Marcel Malanga—was killed during the botched operation.
Their return to the U.S. comes amid renewed talks between Washington and Kinshasa over the Democratic Republic of Congo’s vast mineral wealth. The country holds some of the world’s largest reserves of cobalt and coltan, vital for electronics and electric vehicle batteries. Most of these resources are currently mined by Chinese companies.
Last week, a senior adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump visited DR Congo and confirmed that negotiations were underway around mineral investment, potentially involving multi-billion-dollar deals.
Other foreign nationals convicted in the same case—including individuals from the UK, Belgium, and Canada—remain behind bars. It’s unclear whether they will also be repatriated or receive sentence reductions.
Legal experts suggest the U.S. is unlikely to release the three Americans or lessen their sentences, despite their return home. The State Department reiterated that it supported the DRC’s right to pursue justice, while also stressing the importance of “fair, humane, and consistent treatment.”
Meanwhile, reports say the Congolese government has agreed to cover damage caused during anti-American protests earlier this year, including attacks on the U.S. embassy. U.S. officials have not publicly commented on that aspect of the agreement.
