Mozambique: Former Labour Minister goes on trial – AIM report

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Former Labour Minister goes on trial – AIM report

9:49 CAT | 15 Mar 2022

Photo: Miramar

The trial of Mozambique’s former Labour Minister, Helena Taipo, on corruption charges is due to begin on Tuesday in Maputo.

Taipo, and ten others, are charged with the theft of about 113 million meticais (about 1.8 million US dollars, at current exchange rates) from the National Social Security Institute (INSS).

Taipo is accused of receiving the money as bribes in order to favour particular building and printing companies in contracts with the INSS. The money was diverted from the pensions of Mozambican miners working in South Africa.

The prosecution argues that, to disguise their origin, the bribes were paid in four instalments. The companies concerned over-invoiced the INSS for their services, and, as Minister, Taipo guaranteed that the contracts were signed. The real sums went to the INSS, while the amount over-invoiced was skimmed off and deposited in bank accounts held by Taipo.

Her co-accused include INSS managers and directors of the four companies involved in the scheme.

The prosecution believes that, with this money, the defendants purchased real estate, cars, and alcoholic drinks among other items. During the investigations 27 vehicles and seven properties were seized and seven bank accounts were frozen.

Taipo was labour minister from 2005 to 2015, in both terms of office of President Armando Guebuza. The crimes allegedly occurred a year before Taipo left office.

Under Guebuza’s successor, the current president, Filipe Nyusi, she remained a prominent figure as provincial governor in Sofala. Nyusi then appointed her Mozambican ambassador to Angola – but she only served a few months before the fact that she was under investigation became public knowledge, and she was recalled. Taipo was arrested in April 2019, on the orders of the Central Office for the Fight Against Corruption.

She and her co-accused are facing charges of embezzlement, illicit participation in business, abuse of trust and forgery. Taipo is currently free, since she was conditionally released last year.

Unlike the recent trial of the 19 people accused of financial crimes in connection with the scandal of Mozambique’s “hidden debts”, the proceedings at Taipo’s trial will not be broadcast live, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”.

Source: AIM