Attorney General acknowledges existence of political crimes in Mozambique

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Attorney General acknowledges existence of political crimes in Mozambique

4:47 CAT | 23 Jun 2016

Voa (File photo)

The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) of Mozambique has acknowledged the reality of political crimes, characterised as persecution of members of certain political parties, in some parts of the country.

“We register cases of individuals who, armed with firearms or blades, politically motivated or otherwise, abduct citizens from homes, subject them to abuse and, in some cases, the victims are killed and their bodies dumped in wastelands,” the Attorney General said, without advancing details.

The report also mentions crimes committed against media personalities on public roads, though superficially and again without advancing details of any investigation.

“In urban centers, there are selective shootings of citizens in the street, in broad daylight, by individuals using unidentified vehicles, in a manner which strongly affronts the power of the authorities,” Buchili said.

Renamo and Frelimo have repeatedly exchanged accusations of persecution of their members. In May, Renamo submitted a list of about 15 members who were allegedly missing or killed, some in their own homes by death squads acting, according to the opposition party, on the orders of the ruling party.

Presenting the annual PGR report to parliament on Wednesday 22 June, Buchili also revealed that no grounds had been found for opening a case against former Mozambican president Armando Guebuza for alleged corruption involving the Italian oil company ENI.

Concerning Guebuza, Buchili said news published in the press had reported that the public prosecutor in Milan, Italy, would be investigating the case.

“My office followed the usual mechanisms for collecting information from our Italian counterpart, and being told that there was no case involving [Guebuza], the investigation was closed for lack of substance,” Buchili said.

The report presented to parliament pointed out that the country continues to register criminal cases that challenge the authorities responsible for public safety and national law, such as the persecution and murder of albinos, money laundering, trafficking in human organs and kidnapping for ransom.

The Bar Association of Mozambique, the Association of Judges and opposition MPs showered criticism on Buchilli’s report, saying it failed to reflect the country’s concern over crime and spent next to no time over the question of the undisclosed debts.

Statistically, the report indicates that there was an increase in crime in Mozambique last year, with 46,530 criminal cases in total registered throughout the country as against 42,622 in 2014, although the number of kidnappings had decreased.

Source: Voa Portugues