DR Congo Releases Nearly 1,700 Ill Inmates from Overcrowded Makala Prison

The move aims to address severe overcrowding and poor conditions at the notorious facility where a recent jailbreak resulted in over 100 deaths.

The release operation took place on Sunday at Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Congo's largest penitentiary.
The released inmates, many of whom are seriously ill, received immediate medical care or were sent home on government-provided buses.
Makala Prison, designed for 1,500 inmates, was housing over 12,000 people, most of whom were awaiting trial.
Earlier this month, a failed jailbreak at the prison led to 129 deaths, with some inmates shot by guards and others crushed in a stampede.
Justice Minister Constant Mutamba has banned new transfers to the prison and announced plans to construct a new facility in Kinshasa.