Event at Makala Central Prison, Kinshasa: A Night of Terror and Chaos
In the dark night of Kinshasa, as the city was plunged into darkness due to a power outage, a sinister event occurred at Makala Central Prison. What should have been an ordinary night behind bars turned into an apocalyptic scene of violence and terror. Congolese authorities quickly dismissed the theory of an external attack, pointing to a situation that had started from within, among the inmates themselves.
In an overcrowded wing housing notoriously dangerous inmates, tensions rise and explode in a chaotic crescendo. Gunshots ring out, marking the beginning of a nightmarish night. Guards try in vain to contain the tumult, but panic spreads like wildfire among the panicked inmates. Violence erupts, the inmates engage in a macabre dance of agitation and fury.
In this atmosphere of despair and distress, the inmates rush into the narrow corridors, trampling each other in a frantic struggle for survival. Some manage to enter the women’s wing, where the horror reaches its climax. Unspeakable acts take place, lives shattered, screams muffled by the pouring rain that only accentuates the drama that is unfolding.
Faced with this unleashing of violence, the police intervene firmly. In the turmoil of the night, deadly clashes break out, lives are cut short in a macabre ballet of destruction. Military reinforcements arrive at daybreak, discovering a scene of desolation and death. Bodies litter the ground, silent witnesses to the tragedy that has unfolded.
The authorities are putting forward an official death toll, but in the shadows, voices are whispering more sinister figures. Material damage is piling up, looting and fire are devastating the prison, making the situation even worse. At the heart of this nightmare, three commissions are set up to shed light on the events, organize the victims’ funerals and manage communication around this tragedy.
This night of terror at Makala Central Prison will remain etched in memories as a dark reminder of the fragility of order and security. The injuries inflicted, physical and psychological, will leave indelible scars in a place already marked by violence and suffering. The light of day may never be able to dispel the shadow of this cursed night.