A reported prison break attempt in Congo’s main prison in Kinshasa resulted in the death of at least 129 people, primarily due to a stampede, as disclosed by authorities on Tuesday.
Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani stated on the X social platform that a preliminary evaluation indicated that 24 inmates were shot while attempting to flee from the overcrowded Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa early Monday.
He also said that 59 injured individuals are under government care, and there are reports of women being assaulted. He added that order had been restored at the prison, which suffered damage from the attack.
According to Amnesty International’s latest country report, Makala, the largest prison in Congo designed for 1,500 individuals, currently detains over 12,000 inmates, most of whom are awaiting trial. The facility has experienced previous escape attempts, such as the 2017 incident where a religious group’s attack resulted in the freeing of numerous detainees.
Gunfire was reported inside the prison from midnight on Sunday into Monday morning, as per accounts from residents. Although a senior government official initially claimed only two fatalities, this figure was contested by human rights activists.
Video footage purportedly from the prison depicted individuals lying on the ground, many with apparent injuries, and also showed detainees carrying what appeared to be deceased persons into a vehicle.
The facility, situated a few kilometres from the presidential palace in the city centre, did not show any signs of forced entry, and it is believed the prison break attempt was orchestrated from the inside
Activists state that Makala, along with other prisons in Congo, is vastly overcrowded to the extent that individuals often perish from lack of food. Numerous detainees have been released this year in attempts to reduce prison congestion.