Attorney-general accuses South Africa of failing to cooperate

Maputo, 25 Apr (AIM) – Mozambican Attorney-General Beatriz Buchili has accused the South African authorities of failing to cooperate with Mozambique in the fight against kidnap gangs, many of whose masterminds are believed to reside in South Africa.

In her annual report on the state of justice, currently under debate for the second day in the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, Buchili said that one of the major challenges facing the police “is the fact that many of the acts preparing the kidnappings, and the payments of the ransoms, happen outside the country, particularly in South Africa, where some of those who order the kidnappings are living”.

Hence investigation must involve “resort to the mechanisms of international judicial cooperation”, involving those countries “with an objective or subjective connection with the crime”, to obtain mutual legal assistance, extradition or exchange of information.

But cooperation with South Africa “has not occurred at the levels necessary to fight this kind of crime”, Buchili lamented.

The Mozambican side had submitted 20 requests for extradition and for mutual judicial aid to South Africa, most of them over a year ago. Some of these requests concerned individuals identified as the masterminds of the kidnap gangs.

But the South Africans have not replied to any of these requests, accused Buchili.

“The organised and transnational nature of this crime, as well as the complexity of the investigations demand strengthened coordination”, she said. “So we think that improving cooperation between states is of the utmost importance”.

Buchili was pleased that progress is being made towards signing an extradition treaty between Mozambique and South Africa, which she believed would boost cooperation in the fight against organized crime, and particularly kidnapping.

She was irritated by speeches made by deputies of the main opposition party, Renamo, suggesting they know the names of the masterminds of organized criminal networks.

“If you do have this information, then it is your duty to pass it on to the authorities”, she stressed.

(AIM)

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