Jeremias Pondeca was entitled to police protection, as a member of the State Council – Minister Monteiro

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Jeremias Pondeca was entitled to police protection, as a member of the State Council – Minister Monteiro

3:03 CAT | 11 Oct 2016

O País / Minister Basilio Monteiro addressing the press yesterday

Interior Minister Basilio Monteiro has reacted to the death of Jeremias Pondeca and has said that the member of the State Council was entitled to police protection and that, for this reason, it is important to find out who was he with when he was shot.

Forty-eight hours after the murder of Jeremias Pondeca, member of the State Council and the Renamo delegation in the dialogue for peace, the Interior Minster called the press to comment on the case. Basilio Monteiro said that, as a member of the State Council, Pondeca should have police protection. “As a member of the Joint Commission, [security] was not within the protocol but, as a member of the State Council, police have an obligation to ensure security,” the minister said, without going into too much detail, only adding that “we need to find out who was he with at the time of the crime, but this security element was not neglected at any time.”

The minister assured the public that everything will be done to find and arrest the perpetrators of the murder.

When asked if he thought the death of the Renamo member was politically motivated, minister Basílio Monteiro was cautious. “We look at this case as a criminal act. When the perpetrators are found, their motives will be known and communicated to the public.”

Minister Monteiro said any motive for the murder would be considered during the investigation, and that if there were ‘death squads’, the police would eliminate them.

“We are exploring all hypotheses. Whether it (the motivation for this crime) was internal or external, we are paying attention to the evidence. As to death squads, if there are any, it is our mission to terminate them, because our interest is to promote security,” he said.

The minister took the opportunity to reassure the people of Boane that a police team was working to restore order after a gang of 15 men ransacked several homes, stealing money and cell phones and assaulting the residents.