Africa-Press – Angola. The Luanda District Court “Palácio Dona Ana Joaquina” began the trial of citizen Gelson Emanuel Quintas “Man Genas”, and his wife, Clementina Suzete, accused by former Minister of the Interior Eugénio César Laborinho of the crimes of slander and defamation.
In court, the former Minister of the Interior is requesting that the couple be sentenced to a term of no less than eight years in prison for each defendant, as well as compensation of no less than 5 million and 500 thousand kwanzas each.
The hearing took place on the morning of Tuesday, August 12, one year after their arrest in January 2024 for criminal association, slander, threats, and public instigation. “The crimes committed, in addition to their perverse nature, have miles of tentacles that extend across various opportunistic sectors, particularly in the professional or even political-professional sectors, of which the victim has been a member or has been a member for years,” the indictment reads.
We refer specifically to the military bodies, in the MPLA political party, where the reputational damage, through scenes of slander, reached alarming dimensions, especially, the same scenes of slander, defamation and insults against the offended party, do not make any true, logical or chronological sense”, said the prosecution lawyer Alcínio Luís in the hearing.
Defense of Man Genas
In the preliminary questions phase, the defendant’s lawyer, Gerson Bunga, raised issues related to the case, such as the “excessive preventive detention” of his client, who was detained a year and seven months ago, that is, in January 2024.
In response, the Public Prosecutor’s Office denied the allegation of excessive pre-trial detention and argued that this case in which the defendant is responding is “a private entity and in it Man Genas is free”.
“Man Genas” had been living in Mozambique for a year, where he took refuge due to alleged persecution, but was deported by the Mozambican authorities, as his entry and stay in that country were considered illegal.
The defendant was deported with his wife and two children who were handed over to the family, while he, as defendant, remains in detention.
In 2023, the couple accused on social media, from Mozambique, officers from the National Police, the Criminal Investigation Services (SIC) and the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) of involvement in drug trafficking.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office charged “Man Genas” with aggravated robbery and breach of trust, insulting the State, its symbols and organs, as well as public incitement to commit a crime, defamation, insult and slander.
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