“Aggression and domestic violence against women” – 36-year-old Valentina Guebuza murdered by husband

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“Aggression and domestic violence against women” – 36-year-old Valentina Guebuza murdered by husband

5:40 CAT | 15 Dec 2016

File photo

Valentina Guebuza, the daughter of former Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, was murdered in Maputo on Wednesday night by her husband, Zofimo Muiuane.

According to a report in Thursday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”, Muiuane shot his wife four times with a pistol. She was rushed to the Maputo Heart Institute (ICAR) where she died, after unsuccessful attempts to revive her.

The spokesperson for the General Command of the Mozambican police, Inacio Dina, has confirmed that Muiuane is under arrest in a Maputo police station.

The couple married in July 2014, during the closing year of Guebuza’s presidency. Among the wedding guests were South African President Jacob Zuma, King Mswati III of Swaziland, and Isabel dos Santos, daughter of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Because of their business interests, Valentina Guebuza and Isabel dos Santos were frequently compared.

Muiuane and Guebuza had one child, born in 2015. Zofimo Muiuane’s father is an old friend of Armando Guebuza.

The 36 year old Valentina was chairperson of the board of directors of Focus 21, the holding company of the Guebuza family, a position she had held since 2006. She was also chairperson of Star Times Media, a joint venture between the Chinese company Star Times and Focus 21. Startimes Software Technology (which is 100 per cent Chinese owned) in November won the contract for implementing the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting systems in Mozambique.

Muiuane is head of the marketing department in Mozambique’s publicly owned mobile phone operator, M-cel.

Valentina Guebuza was elected to the Central Committee of the ruling Frelimo Party at its Tenth Congress in 2012. She was also a member of the Maputo City Frelimo Committee.

Speaking on Thursday morning in the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, the head of the Frelimo parliamentary group, Margarida Talapa, expressed her dismay at the “aggression and domestic violence against women” which had culminated in Valentina’s death, and expressed the condolences of the Frelimo parliamentary deputies to the Guebuza family.

Source: AIM