(Mozambique)
A court in Mozambique has sentenced six police officers to three and 24 yeard for murdering an election observer, ahead of last October election in that country.
Anastacio Matavel was shot as he was driving in the southern city of Xai-Xai sequel to his car being hit by 13 bullets.
The elite police men involved in the shooting were caught after their car collided with another vehicle while fleeing scene.
The online gathered that though activists, journalists and members of the opposition are regularly killed and abducted in Mozambique the cases rarely come to trial.
As six policemen moved the prison to commence their term, the seventh accused, a civilian, was acquitted.
The event prompted unrest in the country as supporters of the long-ruling Frelimo party clashed with those of the opposition former rebel movement Renamo. Filipe Nyusi of Frelimo won the election.
At Matavel’s funeral, religious leaders who condemned Matavel’s shooting described it as “spirit of tyranny” called for an end to the violence.
Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975, is still suffering from the effects of a 16-year civil war that ended in 1992.
Tensions remain between Frelimo and Renamo, despite the signing of an historic ceasefire agreement in August last year.
BBC
