A military court in the African country of Congo sentenced thirty-seven people, including three Americans, to death on charges of rebellion.
Among those sentenced to death are a Briton, a Belgian and a Canadian. All individuals are charged with rebellion against the government.
Armed men occupied the President’s office on May 19. All those convicted have been given only five days to appeal.
The report stated that security forces had killed their leader, Congolese-American politician Christian Malinga, and that the armed men had ended their occupation.
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 Zelman Polon, who was associated with Christian Malinga’s business and the three American citizens were convicted of criminal conspiracy, terrorism and other crimes and sentenced to death.
Marcel Malinga, who was sentenced to death, told the court that his father had threatened to kill him if he did not cooperate and he further told the court that he first came to the Congo on his father’s invitation. Because they had not met him for many years.
The report added that the other 50 people facing trial along with the three US citizens included US, British, Canadian, Belgian and Congolese nationals and were facing treason charges.
The court sentenced 37 people to death and the sentence was read out at Andolo military prison on the outskirts of Kinshasa and televised, with the sentenced in front of the judge and in prison garb.
The trial against the accused who tried to overthrow the government in May this year was started in July.
On the other hand, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in Washington said that embassy staff attended the hearing and further developments will be closely monitored.
He said that we know that the law in the Republic of Congo gives the right to appeal against the decision of the court.
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2024-09-21 06:27:23
