- At least 16 convicts were shot dead by prison guards in the Cameroonian port city of Douala during a jail-break attempt on Sunday.
In their attempt to escape from the New Bell prison, prisoners reportedly armed with automatic weapons, opened fire at guards who also responded with fire.
The gunfight also left three prisoners with serious injuries, Cameroon authorities confirmed, calling for more vigilance to be mounted on the country's increasing prison break attempts. The weekend attempt is the third breakouts in recent times.
Built in 1933 for 800 inmates, New Bell prison is overcrowed beyond limits as it is currently harbouring 3,200 people. Human rights organisations said the persistent torture of inmates, poor sanitary conditions and violence have made matters worse in the prison. The colonial administration built New Bell as a "punitive house."
The clash resulted after prisoners who were accommodate in the prison's waiting room, seized the opportunity created by the numerous visitors and attempted to escape. But no inmate succeeded in the attempt, although scores of Cameroonian prisoners evaded during such attempts.
Last year, human rights groups accused Cameroonian army for illegally keeping more than 50 striking prison officers who were denied food and drink and even brutally tortured.
The President of the Cameroon Human Rights House in Douala, Madeleine Afite, confirmed the detention of the warders in a Yaoundé jail. She said the warders were later transported by the military to an "unknown destination." Ms Afite said human rights groups investigators later confirmed that the the guards were held at the cellar of the Secretariat of State to Defence, a secret detention where people easily disappear.
Guards at New Bell prison angered authorities for joining their striking colleagues at Kondengui maximum security prison in Yaoundé in solidarity.
The strike, which threatened security at national prisons and disrupted court proceedings in Douala and Yaoundé, were considered illegal by the government as national legislation and labour ethic bar prison warders from striking.
The strike also created chaotic conditions at Yaoundé maximum security prison where male prisoners were accused of breaking into the female prisoner's section before raping them. Four escaping inmates were shot dead and several others wounded.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español