Maputo, 13 Dec (AIM) – The Mozambican Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) on Tuesday began interrogating 22 parliamentary deputies, all from the ruling Frelimo Party, who are accused of defaming the former Frelimo spokesperson, Caifadine Manasse.
According to a report in Wednesday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”, the interrogations are taking place inside the parliament building, behind closed doors. On Tuesday, the PGR questioned six of the deputies.
Among those scheduled to be questioned on Wednesday is a member of the Frelimo Political Commission, Damiao Jose. The interrogations are expected to continue until Friday.
Manasse claims that 26 Frelimo members, 23 of whom are deputies, have defamed him. He says they offended his honour and good name when they publicly accused him of implicating the first deputy chairperson of the Mozambican parliament, Helder Injojo, of drug trafficking in the central province of Zambezia.
The case is unprecedented – Frelimo almost never washes its dirty linen in public, and there has never been a previous case in which one senior Frelimo parliamentarian has accused others of crimes.
(AIM)
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