Hidden debts trial: Renato Matusse must find another lawyer – AIM report

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Hidden debts trial: Renato Matusse must find another lawyer – AIM report

7:17 CAT | 10 Feb 2022

Photo: O País

Judge Efigenio Baptista of the Maputo City Court on Wednesday advised Renato Matusse, one of the 19 people accused of financial crimes in the case of Mozambique’s “hidden debts”, that he needs to find a new lawyer, following the expulsion from the courtroom last Friday of the two lawyers who were representing him, Salvador Nkamati and Jaime Sunda.

Matusse was once a political adviser to former President Armando Guebuza, He is facing charges of money-laundering, embezzlement and trafficking in influence.

On Friday, in what seemed a clearly coordinated move, Nkamati and Sunda baited Baptista, insulting the judge, and repeatedly interrupting him, with the result that he threw them both out of the courtroom, and ordered criminal proceedings against Nkamati for contempt of court.

Baptista is not inclined to let either of the lawyers back into his court any time soon. They have not purged their contempt and, as far as the judge is concerned, the article in the Penal Procedural Code which he cited to justify his action, remains in force.

So Matusse is now without a lawyer. Baptista said he has five days to hire a new lawyer. Failing that, Matusse will be represented by an official defender.

A campaign against Baptista is now in full swing in Mozambican social media, and in some of the less reputable parts of the Mozambican media. Those out for Baptista’s blood make no secret of their desire to discredit the “hidden debts” trial, and to have any sentences delivered by Baptista declared null and void.

Source: AIM