Police present 6 suspects in Cabo Delgado: Supply of groceries, tarpaulins and capulanas – report

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Police present 6 suspects in Cabo Delgado: Supply of groceries, tarpaulins and capulanas – report

3:22 CAT | 17 Mar 2020

File photo: DW

Mozambican police have presented individuals suspected of collaborating with insurgent groups in Cabo Delgado, who have revealed details about the insurgents’ logistics. Groceries, tarpaulins and capulanas were paid for via M-pesa.
But not all six of those captured and presented to the press admit involvement with the insurgents in Cabo Delgado; one of them told reporters that he was arrested simply for praying at a mosque allegedly frequented by insurgents.

Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) have arrested six men who allegedly belong to the armed groups operating in Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique. The suspects were presented this Monday (16-03), in Mocímboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado district.

The group are alleged collaborators who supposedly assisted in supplying the insurgents.

Anti Pira has admitted to being part of the insurgency since 2018, at the invitation of a man called Nsuco. “He always said to me, ‘We will join the group and work together, and you will also gain.’ I joined the group because of what he had, so I could have it too,” he said.

Anti Pira’s role was to receive money via a mobile phone financial service and buy supplies in the district of Mocímboa da Praia for the insurgents.

Transactions via M-Pesa

The money, used to purchase supplies such as food, tarpaulins and clothing, and for wages, was transferred via the M-pesa mobile phone financial service. “They gave me the money to buy tarpaulins and capulanas. Then they told me where to leave the things. I received the money via M-pesa,” Pira explains.

Anti Pira was assisted by a man identified called Dubaida. “He [Anti Pira] invited me to do some work for money. My job was to accompany him. The man who gives me the money is my friend. And it is usually about a thousand meticais [about 14 Euros],” he said.

Cdpdw — *Augusto José Guta, PRM spokesman in Cabo Delgado*

Another detainee, Chuda Abdala, is said to have joined the movement through a brother-in-law in Palma district. Abdala says he received a call from one of the members of the armed group, who asked him if he could operate M-pesa using his telephone number.

“I said yes. Then he transferred a sum of 150,000 meticais [about €2,000]. He didn’t send it all at the same time, because M-pesa doesn’t allow sending that large an amount. He would send 20,000 today, 5,000 tomorrow, 19,000 … ,” Abdala explained.

Not all six of those captured and presented to the press admitted being involved with the insurgency, however. One of them told reporters that he was arrested simply for praying at a mosque supposedly frequented by insurgents.

“Well-organised logistics”

The police say they have no doubt that the detainees collaborated with group that has been killing people and burning down homes, causing the evacuation of entire villages and displacing tens of thousands of people.

Mosambik | Terrorismus in Cabo Delgado - Bernardino Rafael (DW/D. Anacleto) — *PRM Commander Bernardino Rafael*

“We found that they really belong to that [armed] group. Their role is to [set up] well-organised logistics. They are well-educated individuals; they receive money to supply the evildoers, both for food and for them to carry out their activities,” PRM spokesman Augusto Guta said.

PRM Commander General Bernardino Rafael supports and encourages the fight against insurgent action in Cabo Delgado, saying that Mozambicans must continue to trust the defence and security forces, which are made up of their own children. He believes that only the youth can restore order.

“We have to strive constantly, because both the government of the Republic of Mozambique and Mozambicans have put their trust in us, the defence and security forces engaged in this northern theatre of operations,” he explained.

Bernardino Rafael told a meeting of residents of the Mocímboa da Praia village district headquarters that the corporation would not rest until tranquillity was restored to the region, asking the population for their vigilance and collaboration.

Source: Deutsche Welle