KINSHASA, DR Congo
The Minister of Justice of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Constant Mutamba, announced on Saturday, August 10, 2024, the release of nearly 527 prisoners from the central
During this event, he also
delivered 2,000 mattresses to the inmates out of a total of 7,000 ordered,
aiming to improve their detention conditions.
"A state governed by the
rule of law means that everyone must be subject to the law. Your place is in
your home where you will spend the night tonight. You must return to your
homes. In this regard, I inform you that next Saturday, we will continue with
the release of some prisoners who have been unjustly detained," stated
Constant Mutamba.
He reminded the public that he
had promised to improve the detention conditions of prisoners, in line with
instructions from the Head of State.
"This is what is being
done. I also guaranteed that no prisoner would sleep on the floor anymore.
Based on the instructions given to the director of the central prison of
Makala, we have already provided the prison with the first batch of mattresses.
The beds are currently being manufactured, and starting next week, no prisoner
will have to sleep on the floor. Meanwhile, the prison's health center is
undergoing rehabilitation, and several pavilions are also being renovated. Our
ambition is first to reduce overcrowding in the prison and then to rehabilitate
it thoroughly," he added.
The Minister also announced
the construction of a new prison in Maluku, on a site he had recently visited.
In July, the Congo's
government had stated that at least 7,000 inmates were to be granted
conditional release from the Makala Central Prison in a bid to ease
overcrowding at the facility.
Located in Kinshasa, it is the
country’s largest jail, built for 1,500 inmates in 1957, but now holding more
than 15,000 people, including children and women.
Conditions are notoriously bad
at the prison with inmates crammed into cells, eating poorly, and some
suffering from water and respiratory diseases.
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