Africa-Press – Mozambique. Manuel de Araújo, current mayor of Quelimane and the Renamo candidate for the office in the capital of Zambézia province, was arrested at 1:00 a.m. this Thursday by agents of the police Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) at the Benfica campus in the city.
Manuel de Araújo says that prior to his arrest, he was talking to Protection Police agents about when the polls should close.
According to De Araújo, the commander of the Rapid Intervention Unit appeared some time later and asked why the police officers were talking to the Renamo head of the list in the elections, after which he (De Araújo) was forced into a police vehicle and taken to the city’s First Police Station.
Renamo members and supporters tried to demonstrate outside the police station demanding the release of the mayor, but the police formed a cordon to prevent them from accessing the area.
De Araújo was released at around 7:00 a.m., the PRM provincial commander and the provincial public prosecutor having, according to De Araujo, found no reason for his arrest.
Manuel de Araújo stressed that in addition to being head of the Renamo list, he is also still mayor and will use all legal mechanisms to restore his good name and dignity.
The sitting mayor has also demanded that the police set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the context of his arrest.
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