Mozambican magistrate’s murder trial takes place behind closed doors

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambican magistrate’s murder trial takes place behind closed doors

12:02 CAT | 26 Oct 2017

The Judicial Court of Maputo Province yesterday launched the trial of a man and a woman accused of involvement in the murder of Mozambican magistrate Marcelino Vilankulo in closed session, with the press barred from entering.

In the dock are a woman accused by the Mozambican court of having studied the movements of public prosecutor Marcelino Vilankulo, and a man accused of driving the vehicle in which the shooter was transported.

Judicial authorities initially announced that the trial would be held at the Judicial Court of Maputo Province, in the city of Matola, some 12 kilometres from the capital, but journalists were surprised to learn that the session had been transferred to the Civil Prison [Cadeia Civil] in Maputo, and was already under way.

At the Civil Prison, guards prevented journalists from entering the courtroom.

Also involved in the case is a man considered the mastermind of the murder, Jose Coutinho, who was himself found murdered 70 kilometres from Maputo. A fourth man implicated in the murder is on the run after escaping from prison, where he was awaiting trial.

At the time of his death, Marcelino Vilankulo was overseeing cases related to the wave of kidnappings sweeping Mozambique between 2012 and 2016.

Source: Lusa