Three American citizens convicted for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last year have been repatriated to the United States to serve the remainder of their prison sentences.
According to Congolese presidential spokesperson Tina Salama, the trio – Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman Polun Benjamin, departed the DRC on Tuesday under an agreement allowing them to continue their sentences in the U.S. custody.
They were originally sentenced to death by a military tribunal but their penalties were recently commuted to life imprisonment.
U.S. Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed their transfer, stating that the individuals are now in U.S. custody.
The repatriation coincides with ongoing discussions between the U.S. and DR Congo over strategic cooperation in the mineral sector.
Last week, a senior adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump visited Kinshasa and revealed that both nations were negotiating potential multibillion-dollar investments in the country’s vast mineral resources.
© WAVN