How 3 young Americans ended up in the middle of a coup attempt in Congo and facing the death penalty
A military court in Congo has convicted dozens of people, including three Americans, for a coup attempt
By MONIKA PRONCZUK, JEAN-YVES KAMALE and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Published - Sep 13, 2024, 07:08 PM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 07:15 PM EST
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A military court in Congo, one of Africa’s largest countries, has convicted three Americans and dozens of others of taking part in a coup attempt and imposed “the harshest penalty, that of death.”
The court convicted the 37 defendants, including the three Americans and imposed the death penalty in a verdict delivered by presiding judge Maj. Freddy Ehuma at an open-air military court proceeding.
The defendants, a majority of them Congolese but also including a Briton, a Belgian and a Canadian, were charged with terrorism, murder, criminal association and illegal possession of weapons, among other charges.
The lawyer who defended the six foreigners said they would appeal the verdicts.
