Attempted prison break in Congo: 129 dead
Inmates at Makala Prison in Kinshasa, Congo, attempted to escape. In the incident, 24 people were killed by 'warning shots,' and 105 others lost their lives during a stampede.
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An attempted prison break occurred at a prison in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Authorities announced that at least 129 people lost their lives in the stampede that broke out during the escape attempt.
Democratic Republic of Congo Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani stated in a post on his social media account that 24 inmates were shot and killed by “warning” fire while attempting to escape from the overcrowded Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa early today.
“Additionally, 59 injured individuals are being treated by the government, and there are also cases of rape,” said Shabani, announcing that control of the prison has been restored.
Democratic Republic of Congo Deputy Minister of Justice Mbemba Kabuya stated that the escape attempt was planned by the inmates held at the prison.
THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST PRISON
According to the latest report published by Amnesty International, Makala, the country's largest prison with a capacity of 1,500, houses 12,000 inmates, most of whom are awaiting trial. In the prison, where escapes have occurred before, dozens of people were freed in an attack organized by a religious sect in 2017.