ALBAWABA - In a military court in the Congo's capital, Kinshasa, three Americans were charged with involvement in the coup attempt that occurred in Congo last month.
The suspects, arranged in a line on plastic chairs in front of the judge, were present for the first day of the trial on Friday. They are facing multiple charges, many of which carry the death penalty, including murder, terrorism, and criminal association.
The names of the coup leader, Christian Malanga, and one other individual were taken off the list when death certificates were presented, according to the court, which stated that the list had 53 names.
Last month, a failed coup attempt led by opposition activist Malanga claimed six lives as it targeted President Felix Tshisekedi's close friend and the presidential palace. Shortly after live-streaming the incident on his social media, Malanga was shot and killed by the Congolese army for resisting arrest.
Malanga's son, a US citizen, was one of three Americans who faced trial on Friday. According to Army spokesperson Gen Sylvain Ekenge, the alleged conspiracy was directed by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a "naturalized American" and was killed by security authorities.
Ekenge stated that over 40 assailants of "various nationalities" had been captured, with another four murdered, including Christian Malanga.
The motive for the coup attempt is yet to be known, but the government has denounced it as an effort to "destabilize" the huge country's "institutions". The accused include four women and at least one Belgian national, Jean-Jacques Wondo.
