Mozambique INSS case: Court upholds pre-trial detention for Ernesto Simango and Jose Guerreiro

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Mozambique INSS case: Court upholds pre-trial detention for Ernesto Simango and Jose Guerreiro

1:50 CAT | 25 Apr 2019

File photo: O País

The Judicial Court of the City of Maputo has decided to maintain the preventive detention of businessmen Ernesto Armando Simango, owner and manager of Arcos Consultores Lda, and José Marcelino Pita Guerreiro, manager of Calmac, both allegedly involved in the misappropriation of funds from the National Social Security Institute (INSS).

Arrested on Monday, they were brought before the court for the legalisation of their detention on Wednesday, and heard separately by the Criminal Investigation Judge for about two-and-a-half hours.

Journalists covering the case were there for more than 10 hours, the hearing only ending at 8:15 p.m., but one of Ernesto Simango’s lawyers, without advancing details, simply said that “the court will give its report in a timely manner, and we prefer that it be the court that gives it”.

However, a source close to the case told AIM that the court refused to grant bail, and the defendants will therefore remain in custody.

Source: AIM moçambique