Title: Spectacular escape from Gbadolite central prison: the sixth in eight months
Twelve prisoners, including four convicted, escaped on Friday June 2, 2023 from the central prison of Gbadolite, capital of the province of North Ubangi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The situation is alarming, because it is the sixth escape for eight months, after that of April 24, which had seen 9 prisoners escape.
According to prison sources, the escape took place in broad daylight, thanks to a ceiling they had breached last April. The provincial Minister of Justice, Frédéric Yangaho, confirmed the information, adding that the inattention of the security forces committed to guarding this house of detention is deplorable.
As a reminder, this central prison is a compartment of the former Presidential College of the time of the late Marshal Mobutu.
This escape once again highlights the inability of the Congolese prison system to ensure the safety of detainees. The State must take urgent measures to stop this black series of prisoners fleeing.
This is worrying for the safety of surrounding populations, as escaped prisoners may pose a threat to society.