Kasapa Prison Health Center Fire Prompts Investigation in DR Congo

A fire broke out at the health centre of the Kasapa central prison in Lubumbashi, Haut‑Katanga, on 26 July. The blaze caused extensive damage to the pharmacy, consultation and hospital rooms, the medical director’s office, medical equipment and archive records, but no deaths or prisoner escapes were reported.

Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa announced that both an administrative and a judicial inquiry have been opened to determine the exact cause, which initial reports attribute to an electrical system malfunction. The government pledged to maintain medical care for inmates and to repair the damaged facilities as soon as possible.