Congo: 3 American citizens also sentenced to death for rebellion against the government
Kinshasa: The military court of the African country of Congo sentenced 37 people, including 3 American citizens, to death for the failed coup to overthrow the government in May this year.
According to a foreign news agency, on May 19 of this year, armed people occupied the presidential palace in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, for a while. Security forces ended the armed men’s occupation after killing their leader, Congolese-American politician Christian Malinga.
Marcel Malinga, the slain politician’s 20-year-old son, and Taylor Thompson, his 20-year-old friend who played football for high school, were among those facing trial in a Congolese military court over the failed coup.
According to the report, the third American citizen is Benjamin Zilman Polon, who was associated with Christian Malinga’s business. and criminal conspiracy to three US citizens. He was sentenced to death after being held responsible for terrorism and other crimes.
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Marcel Malinga, who was sentenced to death, told the court that his father had threatened him. If they do not cooperate, they will be killed. And he further told the court that he had come to Congo for the first time on the invitation of his father. Because they had not met him for many years.
The report added that the three US citizens were among the 50 others facing trial. Citizens of the United States, Britain, Canada, Belgium and the Congo were also involved and faced rebellion.
The court sentenced 37 people to death. And the sentence was pronounced at Andolo military prison on the outskirts of Kinshasa. It was shown on TV and the people sentenced were in front of a judge and in prison garb. The military court acquitted 14 people in the trial.
It should be noted that the trial against the accused who tried to overthrow the government in May this year was started in July. In May, six people were killed in an attempted military coup led by an opposition leader.
