Prosecutors demand death penalty for 50 defendants in “coup” trial in Democratic Republic of Congo

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Prosecutors on Tuesday called for 50 defendants, including three Americans, to be sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo for what the army calls an attempted coup.

Military prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Radjabu called on judges to sentence all but one of those on trial for the alleged coup attempt in May to death.

In the early hours of May 19, armed men raided the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe, who was elected Speaker of the National Assembly three days later.

The group then went to the Palais de la Nation, where President Felix Tshisekedi's office is located, and waved the flag of Zaire, the country that bore his name under former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997.

Several sources reported at the time that gunshots were heard near the building.

An army spokesman later announced on national television that defense and security forces had prevented an “attempted coup.”

The suspected leader of the plot was Christian Malanga, a Congolese “naturalized American” who was killed by security forces, said army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge.

During questioning, the defendants arrested near the Palais de la Nation blamed Malanga.

Others detained elsewhere in the capital Kinshasa, including four women, denied any involvement.

Richard Bondo, defense attorney for one of the American defendants, told AFP that the prosecution's demand for the death penalty was “very harsh.”

The defense is scheduled to present its arguments on Friday.

Malanga's son, Marcel Malanga, is among the three Americans on trial before the military court in Kinshasa.

Tyler Thompson, another American defendant, said at trial last month that he was “coerced” into doing so, echoing statements by two other U.S. citizens facing the same charges.

“I came to the Democratic Republic of Congo to visit Marcel’s family, whom I had never seen before,” he added.

Malanga also told the court that his father forced him to participate: “He told us he would kill us if we didn't listen.”

Malanga said his father woke him up on the night of May 18 and ordered him to take a gun.

The third American on trial, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, also said he was “kidnapped” and “forced” to participate.

In March, the Congolese government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place since 2003, despite criticism from human rights organizations.

Lawyers for the Americans complained that their clients were interrogated in French and without an interpreter, even though they spoke English.

Also among the defendants are a Belgian, a Briton and a Canadian, all of whom are naturalised Congolese.

The trial began on June 7 at Ndolo Military Prison, where all the defendants are being held.

The charges include “assault, terrorism, illegal possession of war weapons and ammunition, attempted murder, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism,” a court document said.

In another case, a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this month imposed the death penalty on all 26 defendants accused of belonging to the rebel group M23 following a high-profile trial.

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