Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister claims the US overthrew her government for not handing over Saint Martin island. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, American and British officers are on trial for plotting to overthrow President Maduro. Now, in a shocking turn, three Americans face the death penalty for attempting to stage a coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With foreign plots surfacing across the globe, the role of international actors in toppling governments is sparking intense intrigue and controversy.
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In the early morning hours of May 19, around 4 a.m., gunfire rang out in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). An armed group had stormed the Palace of the Nation, which houses the office of President Felix Tshisekedi. Fortunately, the president was not there at the time of the attack. Meanwhile, another group launched an assault on the home of Vital Kamerhe, the then Deputy Prime Minister and current speaker of the lower house of parliament.
It quickly became clear that this was more than just an isolated act of violence – it was an attempted coup to overthrow the government. Fortunately, the military acted swiftly, stopping the coup in its tracks. Brigadier General Sylvain Ekenge, the official spokesperson for the DRC Armed Forces, made a televised announcement soon after the attacks, confirming the coup attempt had been thwarted.
But the plot thickened as the details emerged. Not only were there Congolese involved in the coup, but several foreigners were also accused of taking part. In total, 51 people have been charged in connection with the coup attempt, including three US citizens, as well as individuals from Belgium, the UK, and Canada. Interestingly, these foreigners had ties to Congo, having gained foreign citizenship after leaving the country. Among the accused, three US citizens—Tyler Thompson Jr, Marcel Malanga, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun—stood out for their direct involvement.
The DRC’s prosecutor’s office, led by Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Radjabu, has demanded the death penalty for 50 of the accused. The charges are serious, ranging from terrorism and illegal possession of weapons to attempted assassination, criminal association, and murder. One of the defendants was diagnosed with a mental disorder, and the prosecutor called for leniency in his case.
The mastermind behind the coup was revealed to be Christian Malanga Musumari, a former captain in the DRC Armed Forces. He had spent recent years in the US, where he had received political asylum and lived comfortably in Utah. But Malanga’s story came to a bloody end—he was killed while resisting during the coup.
In total, seven people lost their lives during the events of that fateful day. Six were killed at the presidential palace, including two police officers, and one more died during the attack on Kamerhe’s home.
The trial of the 51 defendants began on June 7 and is being held at a military prison in Ndolo, a region in Kinshasa. As the world watches closely, the case raises many questions about how foreign citizens found themselves entangled in an attempted coup in the heart of Africa. For some, this trial could lead to the ultimate punishment, leaving their fate hanging in the balance.
