Africa-Press – Mozambique. A citizen of Rwandan nationality called Karemandigo Rebocatt was murdered in Matola, Maputo province, early on Monday evening (September 13) by individuals unknown and still at large.
The murder was confirmed to VOA by sources from the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), who promised further details this Tuesday.
The victim was a successful merchant, selling alcoholic beverages and pharmaceutical products.
The president of the Association of Rwandans in Mozambique has linked the death to the new “political alliance” between Maputo and Kigali, and claims that the situation of Rwandan refugees has worsened.
According to Cleophas Habiyareme, quoted by the weekly ‘Evidências’ digital edition, the victim had lived in Mozambique since the 1990s, and held refugee status.
“Since Rwandan forces have been in Cabo Delgado, we have lived in a situation of insecurity. Every day the Rwandan media mentioned him and other brothers who are being hunted by the regime. We were already expecting this would happen at any moment. We informed the National Institute of Support to Refugees that there was this threat, but nothing was done,” Habiyareme complained.
On 23 May, Rwandan journalist Ntamuhanga Cassien, an asylum seeker in Mozambique, disappeared after being taken away by people wearing PRM uniforms and appearing at a police station on Inhaca Island.
Cassien had escaped from prison in Kigali in 2017, where he was serving a 25-year sentence for conspiracy against the government and complicity in a terrorist act, charges he has always denied.
Mozambique’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation announced in July that it was following up on the case, but has so far not commented.
