Parliamentary hearing: Criminal Investigation Police refute mass grave in Sofala – Notícias

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Parliamentary hearing: Criminal Investigation Police refute mass grave in Sofala – Notícias

2:33 CAT | 26 May 2016

Mozambique’s Criminal Investigation Police (PIC) thinks that allegations of the existence of mass graves in Sofala province is disinformation aimed at intimidating a population already physically and psychologically affected by Renamo attacks, reports Notícias.

This statement was made by PIC Deputy National Director Vicente Chicote at a parliamentary hearing organized by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality in the context of investigations it intends carrying out into the matter.

According to the police official, the rumoured mass grave is an attempt to convey a picture of human rights violations by the Mozambique government “which is untrue”.

“Neither in Canda nor anywhere else is there a mass grave and no bodies have been found at this site,” he asserted.

Chicote did however confirm that thirteen bodies of unknown origin were found in an advanced state of decomposition under a bridge over the Mbinganhama River in the vicinity of Mpfumo Tropa village, Macossa district, Manica province.

“Examination of the thirteen bodies found was not carried out, due to their advanced state of decomposition. They were buried with the help of local community authorities,” he said.

Chicote said that a taskforce involving the provincial command of the Sofala and Manica PRM is to carry out an investigation in an effort to clarify the circumstances of the thirteen deaths.

“A criminal case was opened In Macossa and an investigation started in Sofala province in the respective provincial prosecutor’s offices,” he explained.

The chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality, Edson Macuacua, said that the evidence provided by PIC is an important part of the investigations that his committee will conduct on the ground.

“Listening to the PIC gave us important preliminary data for the investigation,” Macuácua said, adding that his working group would hear other sources considered relevant to the matter.

“We need information from different sources for our analysis. This data will be useful in our investigation on the ground,” Macuacua said.

According to the methodology adopted by Macuacua’s commission, the group yesterday held a hearing at the Ministry of Justice that was boycotted by Renamo, who insist that any investigation should be carried out by a parliamentary committee of inquiry.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly decided however to mandate the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality to investigate the existence of a mass grave in Gorongosa, Sofala.

Reports of the existence of a mass grave there were made first by foreign media, which led the Sofala provincial government to organize an expedition to the site for domestic journalists. The existence of a mass grave remains unproven, but the expedition revealed the existence of bodies scattered across fields in Gorongosa (Sofala) and Macossa (Manica) districts.

Source: Jornal Notícias