47 Inmates Escape From Overcrowded Prison in Southwest DR

Nearly 50 inmates have escaped from a prison in Idiofa, southwest Democratic Republic of Congo, during an overnight jailbreak between Monday and Tuesday, local sources have confirmed.

Prison breaks are a recurring challenge in the DRC, where most detention facilities — many built during Belgian colonial rule — are overcrowded and in disrepair.

“Of the 104 prisoners being held in the central prison of Idiofa, 47 have escaped,” said Arsene Kasiama, coordinator of a local civil society organisation, in an interview with AFP.

Located about 600 kilometres east of the capital Kinshasa, Idiofa prison was constructed in 1937 under Belgian administration. Kasiama said the escapees were all confined in one of the facility’s two remaining cells and decided to break free due to unbearable conditions.

“They were suffocating, they breached the wall and fled,” he explained, adding that the officer on duty “fired several shots” in an attempt to stop them but did not hit any of the fugitives.

Confirming the incident, Idiofa administrator Adelard Kintolo admitted that the prison’s condition was far below acceptable standards.

“The fence is there, but it won’t hold much longer, the walls are worn out. We ask the government to take this into account… they could consider the construction of a new prison facility to improve detention conditions,” he told AFP.

Human rights groups in the DRC have repeatedly warned about poor prison conditions and have urged authorities to address overcrowding to prevent further jailbreaks.