Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican Public Prosecutor’s Office (PGR) announced today that it has opened a total of 651 criminal and civil cases during the post-election crisis, promising that all incidents resulting in deaths will receive the scrutiny of the justice system.
“We want to assure [you] that all situations that resulted in death, bodily harm or destruction of property, resulting from violent protests, deserve and will receive due treatment, with the triggering of the appropriate procedures to identify the perpetrators, determine the circumstances and other elements for accountability,” the Attorney General of Mozambique, Américo Julião Letela, declared during the opening of the judicial year, in Maputo.
Since October 21, Mozambique has been experiencing a climate of strong social unrest, protests, demonstrations and strikes, called by Venâncio Mondlane, a former presidential candidate who rejects the election results of October 9, with violent clashes between the police and protesters, as well as looting and destruction of public and private facilities.
In addition to the social unrest that the country has seen in the last three months, more than 1,500 inmates have escaped from penitentiaries in various parts of the country, actions that, according to the police and Mozambican authorities, are the responsibility of protesters.
“Following the escape of inmates from some penitentiaries and which resulted in the death of some inmates, eight investigations were opened and are still ongoing,” the attorney general added.
The most serious prison escape case occurred in Maputo on December 25 of last year, when 1,534 prisoners escaped after riots in the Special Penitentiary of Maximum Security and Maputo Provincial, located about 14 kilometers from the center of the Mozambican capital.
Thirty-five people died during the riot, according to the National Penitentiary Service of Mozambique (SERNAP), which also announced last month that 332 prisoners had been recaptured.
At the time, the then commander-in-chief of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), Bernardino Rafael, considered that it was “a premeditated action” and the responsibility of post-election protesters who, since October, have been on the streets protesting against the results of the general elections.
On the same day, according to the police, similar riots were recorded in the Manhiça Prison, in the north of Maputo province, where protesters freed prisoners, and in the Mabalane Prison, which saw an escape attempt.
On Monday, a total of 200 inmates escaped from the Gorongosa district prison, in central Mozambique, the local administrator told Lusa, who also blamed a group of protesters who were protesting against the cost of living.
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