A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to deliver its verdict Friday over an alleged coup attempt, with 51 defendants, including three Americans, facing charges and all but one risking the death penalty.

Armed men on May 19 attacked the home of then-economy minister Vital Kamerhe before heading to President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices, waving Zaire-era flags. An army spokesman later said that security forces had stopped "an attempted coup d'etat".

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set on Friday to deliver its verdict over what the army says was a coup attempt, in which defendants, including three Americans, risk the death penalty.

Fifty-one people face charges over the incident, which began in the early hours of May 19 when armed men attacked the home of then economy minister Vital Kamerhe, who is now national assembly president. 

The group then went to a building housing President Felix Tshisekedi's offices brandishing flags of Zaire, the country's name under ex-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997.

Shots were heard near the building, several sources said at the time.

An army spokesman later announced on national TV that defence and security forces had stopped "an attempted coup d'etat".

The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a "naturalised American" and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said.

"I was forced to carry an arm," Thompson said. France24