Deadly Escape Attempt at Makala Prison: At Least 129 Dead, 59 Injured

An escape attempt at Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa left 129 prisoners dead and 59 injured. The incident involved gunfire, jostling, and suffocation. Minister of Interior Jacquemain Shabani L has called a crisis meeting and investigations are ongoing. The largest prison in the DRC faces chronic overcrowding.

In a deadly escape attempt at Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, at least 129 prisoners are dead and 59 others injured, the government announced on Tuesday. Official reports state that 24 prisoners were killed by gunfire while the rest died due to jostling or suffocation. The escape attempt led to significant material damage and chaos within the prison.

Minister of Interior and Security, Jacquemain Shabani L, shared details of the incident on X. He said, 'On Monday, September 2, 2024, an escape attempt at Makala Central Prison caused loss of life and significant material damage. On the instructions of the High Hierarchy, I have called a crisis meeting with the heads of the defense and security services.' The Minister elaborated that the provisional toll of 129 dead includes 24 by gunfire, with others succumbing to jostling or suffocation. Additionally, 59 injured individuals are receiving care from the Government, and there have been some reported cases of women raped.

Shabani also noted that major administrative buildings and food depots were damaged by fire during the incident. 'The administrative buildings, the registry, the infirmary, and the food depots were destroyed by fire,' he stated. Emphasizing that the investigations are ongoing, he reassured the public, 'The Government is pleased with the return to calm, deplores these tragic events, and offers its condolences to the families of the victims. Investigations are continuing and the public will be informed.'

Earlier on Monday, the government spokesperson and Minister of Communications and Media had informed about the escape attempt via a post on X. 'This is an escape attempt from the central prison of Makala. Security services are on site to restore order and security. The population of Kinshasa is urged not to panic. Further details will follow during the day,' the spokesperson said. Notably, Makala prison, the largest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, houses 14,000 to 15,000 detainees, despite being designed for 1,500. This incident is not an isolated one; in 2017, armed assailants facilitated the escape of more than 4,000 prisoners, according to Al Jazeera.

(With inputs from agencies.)