Congolese authorities were warned of a situation “on the verge of explosion” at the notorious Makala prison, which witnessed a deadly riot last week when inmates forced open locked wings, set fires and looted facilities. Letters from the prison’s director, seen by RFI, reveal the Justice Ministry was repeatedly told that Makala’s severe overcrowding and inadequate conditions had created a crisis waiting to happen.
In the early hours of 2 September, the unrest at Makala resulted in at least 131 deaths and over 260 cases of sexual assault.
The riot saw inmates breaking into various sections of the Kinshasa prison, including the female quarters, and setting fire to administrative offices while ransacking the food depot.
Prisoners died from gunshot wounds, being crushed in stampedes or as a result of other serious injuries.
Prison director Joseph Yusufu Maliki alerted then Justice minister, Rose Mutombo, of the urgent situation in various letters dating from 1 March 2023 to 21 January 2024. RFI’s Pascal Mulegwa managed to access these documents.
Maliki called, on 1 March 2023, for urgent actions from the Justice ministry, highlighting inadequate security and severe overcrowding, which he said contributed to contagious diseases, suffocation and deaths.
Letter dated 9 October 2023 from Makala prison director to Justice minister warning about dangerous inmates and need to transfer them to high security prison
Months later, on 21 January 2024, Maliki again warned about an “impending explosion” at Makala because of the continuous inflow of prisoners. He suggested a series of decongestion measures but claimed he received no response.
Diseases, malnutrition
Prison doctor Jadot Bernard Vibula Vundala also informed the Justice Ministry about the inadequacy of medical care at Makala. A letter sent on 21 April cited a rise in diseases, malnutrition and severe health conditions among the inmates.
“Inmates sleep directly on the floor, in corridors and even in lavatories. They also take turns to sleep,” he wrote.
The Central Prison of Makala, built during Belgian colonial rule in 1957 to accommodate 1,500 inmates, now houses around 15,000 individuals, both male and female.
The conditions have been described by Congolese journalist Stanis Bujakera, who was imprisoned there for seven months, as the “antechamber to hell where survival is a miracle”.
Bujakera told RFI that out of the 15,000 people held in Makala, only 4,000 were actually serving a sentence – the majority being detained while awaiting trial.
“While I was at Makala, I met Damas Ngoy Kumbu who was detained for 21 years with no conviction. He was finally released on 29 July,” Bujakera said.
Dozens charged
On 11 September, 63 people faced military court charges including "spiteful destruction, arson, acts of terrorism and rape of women”.
The United Nations reported that 268 out of 348 women detained at Makala suffered sexual violence during the unrest, including rape.
The authorities claim no one escaped, but inmates and prisoners’ rights groups argue there are nearly 2,000 fewer prisoners in Makala now than before the incident.
In response to the crisis, Justice Minister Constant Mutamba suspended prison director Maliki, whose family in Kinshasa have denied reports that he was on the run following the prison break.
Maliki is currently in Paris receiving treatment for a severe case of malaria. He landed in Paris on 17 August and is scheduled to return to the DRC on 15 September, according to travel documents seen by RFI.
Meanwhile Mutamba has banned the transfer of inmates to Makala and pledged to build a new prison, among other efforts, to address overcrowding.
Rights groups, opposition leaders and the European Union are demanding an independent investigation, accusing the government of excessive force and attempting to cover up the full extent of the violence.
President Felix Tshisekedi has ordered a comprehensive review of the prison system.
