Burglary In Congo, 24 Prisoners Shot Dead, 105 Killed Crowded

Illustration of prisons or rehabilitation of prisoners. (Antanews)

JAKARTA - The main prison in Congo, which is located in Kinshasa, was burglarized by detainees. At least 129 inmates died in the investigation, 24 of whom were shot dead due to warning shots.

Congo's Minister of Home Affairs, Jacquemin Shabani, said that of the other death toll, it was caused by the jostling when he was released from prison.

"There are also 59 injured people being treated by the government, as well as several cases of raped women," he said, in a written statement, quoted from CBS News, Tuesday, September 3.

The overcrowded Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa was broken into on Monday, September 2 morning local time. Currently, Jacquemin said the prison conditions were conducive even though some of the rooms were burned in the burglary.

Amnesty International, in its latest report, said that the Makala Central Prison, which has a capacity of 1,500 people, accommodates more than 12,000 inmates, is mostly awaiting trial.

The prison was breached in 2017 in an attack by a religious sect seeking to release dozens of inmates.

The local authorities in their report stated that there were no signs of forced entry into the prison during this burglary.

Wakil Menteri Kehakiman Congo mengatakan kepada radio Top Congo FM, upaya melarikan diri itu direncanakan dari dalam penjara oleh Mbemba Kabuya, penjabat di salah satu wing lemba pemasyarakatan tersebut.

As a result of this incident, the streets in Congo had to be closed by the authorities to recapture the escaped inmates.