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Following a coup attempt last month in the Democratic Republic of Congo, three Americans accused of being involved in the coup attempt attended a military court hearing in Kinshasa on Friday.

The court proceedings were broadcast live on local television. Alongside dozens of other defendants, the three Americans faced severe charges, including terrorism and murder, many of which carry the death penalty.

Among the accused are Marcel Malanga, a 21-year-old US citizen and son of the coup leader, and two other Americans. All three requested interpreters for the French proceedings but faced difficulties with translation accuracy, causing frustration during the questioning.

Tyler Thompson Jr., who traveled to Africa with Marcel, appeared nervous as he confirmed his identity. His family, unaware of his involvement, believed he was on a vacation. They only recently confirmed his whereabouts and were unable to attend the hearing.

The third American, Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, known for a prior conviction of marijuana trafficking, was last to be questioned. He was allegedly connected to Christian Malanga through a gold mining venture.

The coup, led by opposition figure Christian Malanga, resulted in six deaths and targeted the presidential palace and an ally of President Felix Tshisekedi. Malanga was killed after live-streaming the attack.