Congolese authorities released 600 prisoners from the country’s main prison on Saturday, part of an effort to alleviate severe overcrowding in the facility, Justice Minister Constant Mutamba announced.
The releases took place during a ceremony at Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital. Mutamba also revealed plans for the construction of a new prison in Kinshasa, though he did not provide further details.
Makala Central Prison, Congo’s largest penitentiary, was designed to hold 1,500 inmates but currently houses over 12,000, according to Amnesty International’s latest country report. The majority of these prisoners are awaiting trial.
The release comes in the wake of a deadly jailbreak attempt earlier this month that resulted in at least 129 deaths, according to official figures. Emmanuel Adu Cole, a prominent prison rights activist and president of the local Bill Clinton Peace Foundation, estimates the death toll to be over 200.
Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani reported several cases of rape during the attempted escape, though details were not provided.
Prisca Mbombo, a 22-year-old among those freed, spent two months in the prison after being arrested following a bar fight. “We have had a difficult time in recent days with everything that was happening here, there were rapes, we were victims, many of us died,” Mbombo said. “We really thank this gesture from the minister and I will never return to this place.”
Inmates have long complained about poor conditions in the facility, including inadequate beds, insufficient food, and poor sanitation. Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, a prominent Congolese journalist recently detained in the prison, described the conditions as “deplorable and inhumane,” noting that inmates constantly lack food, water, and medical care.
Justice Minister Mutamba announced that approximately 10 minors were among those released on Saturday. He ordered prison authorities to review the cases of all minors to organize more releases. The prison’s deputy director reported that there are around 300 minors at Makala.
Munganga Mungendo, a 16-year-old who spent over a year at the prison after being sentenced to four years for theft, expressed relief at his release. “I am happy to regain my freedom. I am still young and I can return to my studies,” he told The Associated Press.
Mutamba also stated that all severely ill inmates at Makala prison would be released starting Sunday, further addressing the humanitarian concerns within the facility.
This mass release highlights the ongoing challenges in Congo’s prison system and the government’s efforts to address overcrowding and improve conditions for inmates. The situation at Makala Central Prison underscores the urgent need for judicial and penal reform in the country.
