2017 Makala jailbreak explained

2017 Makala jailbreak attempt
Date:17 May 2017
Type:Mass jailbreak
Venue:Makala Central Prison
Coordinates:-4.3625°N 15.2858°W
Outcome:Over 4000 prisoners escaped[1]
Participants:4000+
Deaths:~100
Perpetrator:Prison inmates

On 17 May 2017, a mass jailbreak at Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulted in the deaths of up to 100 people.[2]

Background

Makala Central Prison is the biggest prison in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It only has a capacity of 1,500,[3] and holds both male and female prisoners.[4] The inside is unguarded.[5] Since its 1957 Belgian Congo creation,[6] jailbreaks are common in the DRC.[7]

Jailbreak

It was believed that around half of the prison's inmates fled during the attack.[2] In the initial attack, around 50 prisoners got away when armed men attacked the prison. Government officials said a police officer and at least five attackers were killed, while several sources say that up to 100 died in the unrest.

Perpetrators

The attack was carried out by followers of the political-religious sect Bundu Dia Kongo in order to free their leader Ne Muanda Nsemi and 50 other inmates, with Nsemi the alleged mastermind of the attack. Nsemi was freed and disappeared after the escape, until May 2019, when he was rearrested.[8] [9] [10]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: At least 129 dead in DR Congo jailbreak attempt. 3 September 2024. 4 September 2024. france24.
  2. News: . 'More than 3,000 escaped' Makala jail in DR Congo . September 4, 2024 . BBC. May 18, 2017 .
  3. Web site: September 3, 2024 . At least 129 dead in DR Congo jailbreak attempt . September 3, 2024 . France24.
  4. News: Kamale . Jean-Yves . 3 September 2024 . Attempted jailbreak at a Congo prison kills 129 people as chaos erupts with a stampede and gunshots . 3 September 2024 . The Washington Post.
  5. News: Kibangula . Trésor . RDC : bienvenue dans l'enfer de Makala, la plus grande prison de Kinshasa . 9 September 2024 . . 7 October 2015 .
  6. Web site: fr . Chase Mutayubara . Daudi . Les coulisses de la prison de Makala à Kinshasa . . 26 October 2022 . 9 September 2024 .
  7. Web site: Kennedy . Niamh . Princewill . Nimi . September 3, 2024 . At least 129 killed during mass prison break attempt in DR Congo . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240903191028/https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/03/africa/dr-congo-prison-break-intl/index.html . September 3, 2024 . September 3, 2024 . CNN.
  8. News: 11 May 2019. RDC: Ne Muanda Nsemi, le leader de Bundu dia Kongo, finalement libéré. French. Radio France Internationale. 10 September 2024.
  9. Web site: Makumeno . Emery . September 3, 2024 . More than 100 killed in failed DR Congo jailbreak . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240903171113/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgkypl8kgveo . September 3, 2024 . September 3, 2024 . BBC.
  10. News: BDK leader Ne Muanda Nsemi flees after DRC jailbreak. 18 May 2017. www.aljazeera.com. 18 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170518004627/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/bdk-leader-ne-muanda-nsemi-flees-drc-jailbreak-170517073722196.html. live.

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