DRC Prison Break Tragedy: 129 Makala Prison Escape Attempt Deaths Amid Fire

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have verified that at least 129 inmates perished trying to flee the central Makala jail in the capital, Kinshasa. Monday marked the sad event amid a fire consuming the administrative buildings of the institution, including the infirmary.

Interior Minister Shabani Lukoo said in a statement posted on X (previously Twitter) early Tuesday that the inmates tried to break out during the turmoil the fire generated. “The provisional toll is 129 dead, including 24 by gunfire, after warning,” Lukoo said. Besides, the effort resulted in about 59 injuries.

Significant material damage from the fire produced panic among the prisoners, which resulted in the fatal attempt for escape. Lukoo said he was having a “crisis” meeting with the security and defense agencies, but reassured the area was at peace once more.

Built originally to house 1,500 inmates, Makala prison is the biggest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Official estimates, however, indicate that the prison currently houses between 14,000 and 15,000 detainees most of whom are awaiting trial. In its most recent DRC country report, Amnesty International underlined the extreme crowding problem.

At Makala jail, this incident is not the first of its kind. Following an evening raid by armed attackers, almost 4,000 inmates managed to flee in 2017. With scores of prisoners released recently, efforts to alleviate congestion had been under progress.

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Constant Mutamba, the minister of justice, described the most recent event as a “premeditated act of sabotage” meant to compromise government initiatives to better jail conditions. “Research is under progress to pinpoint and punish those who started these acts of sabotage harshly. Mutamba said, “they will get a strong reply.” Along with revealing plans to construct a new facility as part of more general attempts to alleviate overcrowding, he also declared a restriction on inmate transfers from the prison.

Currently on an important visit to China, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has not made any public comments.