By: Britt Melinauskas
Sports Editor
On Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2024, 129 inmates attempted an escape from the largest prison in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to CNN, the Makala Central Prison, located in the capital, Kinshasa, has encountered “a series of violent attacks on jails in the central African nation” from prisoners and outside parties attempting to release inmates.
The escalation of crime in Makala Central Prison reinforced security against rebellious acts within the cells and other suspicious behavior or threats to the prison since the most recent prison break greatly damaged the facility and led to deaths and injury to staff and inmates. In a prior 2017 breakout, 50 inmates and a handful of religious individuals held in Makala Central Prison escaped and later planned an invasion associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, freeing over 1,000 inmates and assassinating security personnel in 2020. Furthermore, one of the nation’s oldest prisons, Matadi, witnessed 189 prisoners escape, following 200 more escaping and stealing weaponry in 2022.
In a video statement from Reuters, the interior minister of the DRC, Jacquemain Shabani Lukoo, announced, “The provisional human toll stands at 129 dead including 24 by gunshot after warning. The others died by jostling, suffocation, women raped, [with] 59 people [who] were receiving medical care.” Justice Minister Constant Mutamba viewed the jailbreak as a pre-meditated act of sabotage.
A resident in the local city expressed his view on the mass breakout, explaining that “gunfire rang out for several hours during the incident and [I] later saw security vehicles removing bodies from the scene.”
The attempted prison break resulted in widespread destruction to the architecture—including excessive fire damage to the infirmary, food stations, registry, and offices, and additional damage to the walls surrounding the prison with removed bricks and bullet debris.
The facility is supposed to hold up to 1,500 individuals. However, the Makala prison is over its capacity of detainees, where 12,000 convicts are currently held. As CNN noted, “[Justice Minister Constant Mutamba] barred public prosecutors from transferring any inmates to Makala prison ‘until further notice’ as part of a series of measures he announced to tackle overcrowding at the country’s prisons.”
The Makala Central Prison break raised many questions about the facility structures and safety procedures. Accompanying the questions about the safety of the facility and security personnel, there is a high demand for “an independent and rapid investigation to shed light on these tragic events and establish responsibilities.” The transparent process highlights the fatalities and hopes to implement procedures to prevent further breakouts.
(Sources: CNN, Reuters)