KINSHASA (AFP) -- Two Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers were sentenced to death by a military court here Friday for the murder of a Congolese journalist and his wife.

Franck Kangundu, a journalist with La Reference Plus daily, and his wife Helene Paka were killed on November 3, 2005 outside their home in Limete, a working class eastern suburb of Kinshasa, by armed men.

Second Lieutenant Joel Muganda and Staff Sergeant Papy Munongo were sentenced to death for murder, theft of arms and extortion. The death penalty has not been applied since 2003 in the DRC.

The trial had dragged on since July 12 last year.

A third soldier, 2nd Lieutenant Didier Awatimbine, was given a life sentence for murder and extortion while a civilian, Serge Obeze Kabungu, got five years for handling property stolen from the Kangundu couple.

Muganda's nephew was acquitted for lack of evidence.

The Congolese state, judged to be responsible for its soldiers, was ordered to pay nearly three million dollars to the families of the victims and the Congo National Press Union.

The local Journalists in Danger media rights group on Thursday said that lawyers had "deplored the light manner in which the police and the military court have handled the case" and the fact that despite numerous requests several people had not been allowed to testify.