Fatshimetrie is on alert following the escape of two inmates from Dungu central prison in Haut-Uele province. These dramatic events took place on the night of 10 to 11 November, while the prisoners were being treated at the region’s general hospital.
According to information reported by the director of the prison, the two prisoners had complained of health problems since October. Despite attempts at treatment inside the prison, their condition had worsened and they were transferred to the general hospital to receive adequate treatment. It was during their stay in hospital that they took advantage of an opportunity to escape, leaving behind their personal belongings.
These two fugitives were both convicts. One of them had been sentenced to 7 years of penal servitude, while the other had been sentenced to 14 years for the rape of a minor, a heinous crime that had been committed in 2021.
The escape of the detainees is not the only disturbing element of this case. Indeed, the police officer in charge of monitoring the prisoners also took to his heels, leaving serious questions hanging over the circumstances of this escape.
These events highlight a series of questions about the security and management of prisons in the Democratic Republic of Congo. How could such events have occurred? What measures will be taken to prevent new incidents of this type in the future?
While waiting for all the light to be shed on this case, the local authorities remain mobilized to find the fugitives and restore order and security in the Dungu region. A case that raises many questions and calls for in-depth reflection on the country’s prison system.