On Friday June 2, 2023, twelve prisoners, including four convicts, escaped from the central prison of Gbadolite, capital of the province of Nord-Ubangi. Prison sources report that the inmates took advantage of the hole they made in the ceiling last April to go quietly.
This is the sixth escape in eight months after the one that took place on April 24, when nine inmates escaped. The provincial justice minister, Frederic Yangaho, said that the inattention of the security forces committed to guarding the prison house is regrettable.
Note that the central prison of Gbadolite is a compartment of the boarding school of the former Presidential College of the time of the late Marshal Mobutu. This development contrasts with the importance of the measures necessary to ensure the safety of prisoners and provide adequate infrastructure for their reintegration.
In addition, it is crucial that the authorities strengthen surveillance and security systems to prevent these recurrent escapes, which endanger public security and hamper the functioning of the Congolese justice system.
Finally, it is gratifying to see that the Congolese government is working closely with international organizations such as the ICC to address the critical situation of armed violence plaguing parts of the country. Recall that the solution to these problems can only be found through close cooperation between local and international governments, as well as the commitment of all stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the country.