Mozambique: Assembly passes bill on asset recovery – AIM report

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Assembly passes bill on asset recovery – AIM report

8:31 CAT | 06 Nov 2020

Photo: Notícias

The Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, on Wednesday passed unanimously the first reading of a government bill on the legal regime for the seizure of property and recovery of assets acquired illicitly.

Introducing the bill, the Minister of Justice, Helena Kida, said it “confirms the steps we are taking in order to show our commitment to fighting against all types of crimes”.

She stressed that justice will not become effective if punishment is reduced to prison terms, and the criminals do not suffer the loss of their assets in favour of the state or of their victims.

Kida estimated that, between 2016 and 2019, the Mozambican state lost over 2.664 billion meticais (about 37 million US dollars, at current exchange rates) through acts of corruption. The new bill would make it possible to claw back that money by confiscating assets from the criminals.

Kida.h.tvm_ — *Justice Minister Helena Kida. [Photo: TVM]*

The bill, Kida said, guarantees “consistent and effective mechanisms” so that assets acquired illicitly will revert to the state.

The criminal activities that could give rise to the seizure of assets include corruption, trafficking in people, drugs and guns, terrorism, money laundering, tax fraud and loan sharking.

People who claim that their property was acquired legitimately will now have to prove how they obtained their assets.

The bill was not controversial, and was passed unanimously by deputies of the ruling Frelimo Party, and of the two opposition parties, Renamo and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).

Source: AIM