Prisoners ‘ran illegal diamond mine from underneath jail’

An illegal diamond mine has been discovered operating underneath a prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports London’s Metro newspaper.

Prisoners in Osio, northern DR Congo, worked in the mine to extract diamonds and some did not leave after their sentences ended, the newspaper adds.

The head of the provincial division of Justice, Gérard Kombozi, has now ordered the closure of the makeshift mine and said anyone using it will be punished, reports DR Congo’s UN-backed Radio Okapi.

The radio station adds that people who weren’t in prison had started setting up temporary accomodation nearby to work illegally in the mine as well.

When the authorites raided the site, 30 people were found working there, Mr Kombozi said.

UM– USEKE.RW