Mozambique Elections: Court frees seven protesters in Nampula – AIM

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Mozambique Elections: Court frees seven protesters in Nampula – AIM

2:28 CAT | 06 Nov 2023

Photo: Ikweli

The fifth section of the Nampula city court, in northern Mozambique, on Friday ordered the unconditional release of seven youths detained by the police following the demonstration by the main opposition party, Renamo, last Friday.

Judge Domingos Hilario, cited by the independent television station STV, said he was acquitting the seven because the Public Prosecutor’s Office had presented no evidence against them. They were free to go “because they have committed no crime”.

The police claim that the seven were rioters collapsed because they were not arrested during a riot. The police had detained them one by one “which means they did not commit any collective act against persons or property”, said the judge.

If they were picked up individually, it was quite impossible for the seven to have committed collective violence, such as rioting. Hilario accused the police of “an excess of zeal”.

A further 49 protestors are awaiting trial in the second section of the Nampula court. The prosecution wanted them to be judged in a summary trial – but for that to happen, they would have to be tried within 48 hours of their arrest, which did not happen.

Judge Serguei Costa granted all 49 conditional release, until such time as the prosecution reformulates the charges against them.

This embarrassment for the police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office follows the acquittal of all 32 people arrested during last Friday’s protests against the municipal election results in Maputo.

Watch the Miarmar report.