By Daniel Itai.
Kinshasa, DRC. (News of The South) – 11 prisoners have so far died since the start of the year at the Makala prison due to lack of medicine, one of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s largest prison.
Since last October, the state has disbursed no funds to supply the prison with medicine and food.
“The figure of around 10 deaths may be understandable, there was a delay in paying suppliers and this explains the break in supplies to Makala,” said Celestin Tunda Ya Kasende, the minister of Justice.
Emmanuel Cole, the president of the Bill Clinton Foundation for Peace based in Kinshasa, said the devastating situation was not only being experienced at Makala prison but throughout the country’s prisons.
“Makala and almost all the prisons around the country are no longer being supplied with food and medicine,” said Cole.
Makala prison has 8 618 inmates, of which only 500 have been tried and convicted. Surviving in appalling hygienic conditions, inmates are often exposed to many diseases, malnutrition and dehydration.
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