PGR opens 20 criminal cases against suspects in armed attacks in central Mozambique

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PGR opens 20 criminal cases against suspects in armed attacks in central Mozambique

3:58 CAT | 11 Dec 2019

File photo: DW

Mozambique’s Attorney General’s Office (PGR) has filed 20 criminal cases against suspected leaders of armed attacks, since August, in the provinces of Manica and Sofala in central Mozambique, an official source told Lusa.

The cases were all opened in the central provinces, notably Sofala (11 cases), Manica (8) and Tete (1), a PGR source said, without advancing further details.

The Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) has blamed a splinter group of dissident opposition Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) guerrillas, the self-proclaimed “Military Junta”, for the attacks.

The main challenge for investigators is insecurity in the central region of the country, with new attacks reported almost weekly, the PGR source added.

In late November, six men were arrested by police in Zambezia province on suspicion of recruiting young people to man new bases for the Renamo “Military Junta”, allegedly supported by Renamo high profile members dissatisfied. with the leadership of Ossufo Momade, including party deputies.

Concerning the allegations, the PGR said investigations into the veracity of the accusations were ongoing, highlighting the complexity of the process.

Since August, a total of 11 people have been killed in raids targeting civilians, police and vehicles in Manica and Sofala provinces.

The situation in the provinces of Manica and Sofala, in the centre of Mozambique, affects two of the country’s main road corridors: the EN1, which connects the north to the south of the country, and EN6, which connects the city and port of Beira to Zimbabwe and other southern Africa hinterland countries.

The raids take place in a Renamo stronghold, where guerrillas clashed with Mozambican defence and security forces and hit civilian targets after the 2014 elections, from 2015 until the December 2016 ceasefire.

Officially, Renamo distances itself from the current incidents and says it is abiding by the disarmament terms of the peace agreement of August 6 this year, but a dissident splinter group led by Mariano Nhongo – considered “deserters” by Renamo – remains entrenched in the jungle pending better demobilisation conditions

Source: Lusa