Internet facilitates organized crime in Mozambique: Analysts

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Internet facilitates organized crime in Mozambique: Analysts

2:29 CAT | 20 May 2016

DW (File photo)

According to experts, state institutions are involved in crime via information technologies controlled by people within the banking, financial and legal sectors.

Mozambique justice sector analysts believe that organized crime has support from within the institutions of the Mozambican state themselves and is consequently practically unbeatable.

Ericino da Salema, of non-governmental organization IBIS, believes that communication technologies facilitate organized crime, which has tentacles in the banking and justice sectors.

“What one should do to move forward is to make serious investment in human capital. It is ridiculous that our police do not have permanent access to the internet. How can someone who does not have access to the internet investigate those who use the internet in the most sophisticated way to commit crimes?” he asks.

Mozambican judges complain of danger in the performance of their duties. Luis Mondlane, president of the Mozambican Association of Judges, says judges’ work puts them in danger and is demanding that the police is given the means to do a more professional job.

“It makes little sense that the courts and judges are totally unprotected in the exercise of their functions, when they are dealing with very serious criminal issues such as organized crime,” he says.

Criticisms of judges

Analysts criticize the role played by judges in combating criminality

But journalist and analyst Fernando Lima does not spare the judges criticism. According to him, they do not deserve special protection because they administer precious little justice.

“This whole sector is more concerned with their trappings than they are with giving service and combating lawlessness, corruption and crime. Society demands more from this sector,” he argues.

Alice Mabote, president of the League of Human Rights, is also critical of the judges. Judges who argued that kidnappings were carried out mostly by Mozambicans of Indian origin are now finding that they are also victims. Organized crime affects them, as well as other social strata. “This has to worry us,” she says.

The chairman of the Bar Association, Flávio Menete, thinks that as long as organized crime has financial power it will be very easy to corrupt the state agencies involved “in the search for truth in order for them to be punished”. “So we need to have a lot of people, with sufficient technical preparation, are there must be the material and financial resources for them to function,” he argues.

Last April, organized criminal gangs killed public attorney Marcelino Vilanculos and, two years ago, judge Dinis Silica. Both crimes are still unsolved.

Source: Deutsche Welle