Maputo, 24 Apr (AIM) – The Mozambican Central Office for Combating Organized and Transnational Crime (GCCCOT) has filed a criminal case against two Mozambican nationals, caught red-handed, with various foodstuffs intended to support a group of Islamist terrorists in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
According to the GCCCOT statement, the individuals (who were not named) were caught in March 2023. They were also in possession of 885,500 meticais (about 14,000 US dollars at the current exchange rate).
“From the investigation, it emerged that, as well as buying food, the defendants also bought SIM cards, coupons for mobile phone top-ups and sent them to the leader of the terrorist group who, in turn, distributed them to the other members, to ensure communications, internet, as well as money transactions, using mobile wallets, for the members of the group and to support their families”, reads the document.
According to the note, once the SIM cards had been used, they were destroyed as a way of erasing evidence and escaping prosecution.
“With the money, they acquired information for the terrorist group’s leader on the location, movement and positions of the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS)”, says the note.
“At the end of the investigation, charges were brought and the case was referred to the Cabo Delgado Provincial Law Court on April 22, 2024, with two defendants under arrest”, it says.
The two are facing charges of Financing Terrorism, membership of a terrorist organization and criminal conspiracy.
(AIM)
Ad/pf (253)
