Mozambican Defence Minister Filipe Nyussi has confirmed the arrest of soldiers accused of carrying out beatings and rapes in Mahlampswene, an outlying neighbourhood of the southern city of Matola.A report carried on Tuesday by the independent daily “O Pais” cited Mahlampswene residents complaining bitterly about the behaviour of soldiers based in the local barracks. In particular, they accused the soldiers of beating up nine civilians, and raping two girls last Friday night.Reacting to these accusations, Nyussi told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that the four soldiers concerned have been identified and arrested. They are now in the custody of the military police.Nyussi said the four committed their crimes after they had gone drinking. He said the beatings, rapes and thefts reported were the responsibility of the four men as citizens, and not as soldiers. They were not acting under any command from their superiors, he said, and their violent behaviour should not be blamed on the Mozambican armed forces (FADM) as a whole.But a report published on Wednesday by the daily paper “Noticias”, citing neighbourhood official Orlando Mahumane, puts the number of soldiers involved in the disturbances at “more than 15”.According to Mahumane, the problem started when three soldiers got into a brawl with local residents in the Mahlampswene market. The three were overpowered and thrown out of the market. Shortly afterwards, they returned with reinforcements to retaliate. Mahumane said they lashed out indiscriminately at anyone in the market, and also attacked passers-by. They tore the shirts off their victims’ backs and stole mobile phones and money from them.Mahumane said he had been due to discuss the matter with the barracks commander on Monday, but the meeting did not occur because the commander decided to remit the case to his superiors.The FADM has now set up a commission to deal with the matter, which plans to hold a meeting with the Mahlampswene population on Wednesday.
0 comentários:
Post a Comment