Mozambique: NGO criticises acquittal of state in murder of election observer

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Mozambique: NGO criticises acquittal of state in murder of election observer

3:22 CAT | 19 Jun 2020

Image: Sala da Paz

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), a Mozambican non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Friday expressed disappointment that the Mozambican state has been absolved of civil responsibility for the murder of election observer Anastácio Matavel.

“We are not satisfied with the acquittal of the state of civil responsibility because it became clear in the trial that the police officers were on duty fulfilling a higher order,” said Adriano Nuvunga, director of the DRC, in statements to Lusa.

ALSO READ: Four Mozambique policemen jailed for poll observer’s murder

The CDD paid the fees for legal assistance to Anastácio Matavel’s family during the trial of the case, whose ruling was known on Thursday.

Adriano Nuvunga considered “a humiliation” the compensation of 1.5 million meticais (€19,000) that the court forced the convicted defendants to pay to the victim’s family.

“We are not satisfied with the amount of the compensation because it is quite derisory, it is another form of humiliation of the family,” Nuvunga said.

The family wanted compensation of 35 million meticais (€446,600).

The Judicial Court of Gaza Province, southern Mozambique, sentenced on Thursday the six police officers to prison sentences of between three and 24 years for their involvement in the murder of the election observer last October.

The sentence handed down by Judge Ana Liquidão sentenced Tudelo Guirrugo, Edson Silica and Alfredo Macuácua to 24 years in prison, Euclídio Mapulasse, 23 years, and Januário Rungo and Justino Muchanga to three years in prison.

The seventh defendant and only civilian in the Ricardo Manganhe case was acquitted.

Another police officer accused of participating in the murder, Agapito Matavel, is the subject of a separate prosecution for being on the run.

Two officers of the corporation, Nóbrega Chaúque and Martins William died when the car carrying the accused overturned during the attempted escape from the crime scene.

The murder of Anastácio Matavel was condemned in the country and abroad, given the violent nature of the electoral campaign for the Mozambican elections on October 15 of last year.

Source: Lusa