Beni prison suffers major damage after military detainee riot

A military detainee riot at Kangbayi urban prison in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, has resulted in substantial material damage and compromised the security apparatus of the facility. The violence erupted Friday, reportedly over demands linked to the payment of salaries for incarcerated military personnel. Payments were still ongoing Saturday afternoon, affecting at least 440 military detainees.

Prison sources indicate that several prison structures sustained damage during the mutiny. A cell's roof and ceiling were significantly impacted, and rioters set fire to multiple mattresses and the medical consultation room. The prison administration also faced vandalism, with the director's office ransacked and administrative documents destroyed, further hindering the institution's operations.

Security measures were also heavily affected. The detainees destroyed five video surveillance cameras, two control screens, seven lighting projectors, and four metal detectors, rendering the prison's entire video surveillance system inoperable. This situation raises serious concerns about security at Kangbayi prison, which currently holds 2,069 inmates, far exceeding its designed capacity of 250.

The prison population includes hundreds of soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and approximately 300 suspected members of armed groups, notably alleged fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage, with measures expected to restore the damaged security systems and prevent future incidents in this chronically overcrowded facility.

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The prison's video surveillance system is now out of service.