Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported a tragic incident at the central Makala prison in Kinshasa, where at least 129 people died while trying to escape. Interior Minister Shabani Lukoo stated that 24 people were shot dead, while others suffocated in the crowd during the breakout attempt. The escape was reportedly triggered by a fire that hit the prison’s administrative buildings and infirmary.
Makala prison, which was designed to hold 1,500 inmates, currently houses between 14,000 and 15,000 detainees, most of whom are awaiting trial. Previous jailbreaks have occurred, including a major escape in 2017 when over 4,000 prisoners fled following an armed attack on the facility.
Justice Minister Constant Mutamba labeled the incident as a “premeditated act of sabotage” intended to disrupt efforts to improve prison conditions. He vowed to punish those responsible and announced measures to address overcrowding, such as banning inmate transfers and constructing a new prison.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who was in China on an official visit, did not publicly comment on the tragedy. However, Minister Mutamba assured that investigations were ongoing to identify and punish the perpetrators. The government is committed to improving the prison system and preventing future tragedies like the one at Makala prison.
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