At least 6,000 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in Mozambique’s capital on Christmas Day after a rebellion, the country’s police chief said, as widespread riots and post-election violence rock the country.
Police chief Bernardino Rafael said 33 prisoners died and 15 others were injured in a clash with security forces.
Prisoners fled during violent protests that saw police cars, stations and infrastructure destroyed after the country’s Constitutional Council confirmed the ruling Frelimo party as the winner of the October 9 election.
The escape from Maputo Central Prison, located 14 kilometers southwest of the capital, began around midday on Wednesday after an “agitation” led by a “group of subversive protesters” nearby, Rafael said.
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Some prisoners at the center snatched weapons from guards and began to release other inmates.
“The curious thing is that in this prison we had 29 convicted terrorists, whom they released. We are worried, as a country, as Mozambicans, as members of the defense and security forces,” Rafael said.
“They (protesters) were making noise, demanding that they be able to deport prisoners serving their sentences,” Rafael said, adding that the protests led to the collapse of a wall, allowing prisoners to flee.
He called on the escaped prisoners to surrender to the authorities and inform the population of the identity of the fugitives.
Videos circulating on social media show the moment the detainees left the prison, while other recordings reveal captures made by soldiers and prison guards. Many prisoners attempted to hide in houses, but some were unsuccessful and ended up being detained again.
In one video, a prisoner with handcuffs still on his right wrist says he was held in the prison’s disciplinary section and was freed by other inmates.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
