Over 70 prisoners escape in second Congo prison break in one week

Over 70 prisoners broke out of a prison in the Southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday just two days after thousands escaped from the capital’s main penitentiary.

According to Valentin Vangi, president of the Civil Society of Kongo-Central province, he told Reuters that 73 of 77 prisoners at the prison in the town of Kasangulu escaped around 2 a.m. (0100 GMT).

'The criminals climbed the wall. When the guard went to inform the police, he left the door open, which allowed them to escape.'

Jean Claude Vuemba, a national deputy from Kasangulu, also told Reuters that 73 prisoners had escaped but that 10 had been recaptured by early afternoon. 

On Wednesday, about 4,000 prisoners escaped from Kinshasa’s Makala prison when it was stormed by supporters of a jailed separatist cult leader.

Authorities said on Thursday they had recaptured 179 of the fugitives who escaped on Wednesday.

Although,  the jailbreak is common in Congo but the latest escapes are reportedly ways of frustrating President Joseph Kabila who has refused to step down from power after his mandate ended in December.