PGR opens criminal proceedings against human rights abusers in Cabo Delgado

Maputo, 5 Mar (AIM) – The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) has opened criminal proceedings against members of the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS) for allegedly violating human rights against civilians through kidnappings, rapes and murders in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

According to Deputy Attorney General, Sérgio dos Reis, who was speaking to reporters on Monday, in Maputo, the crimes in question were committed in 2021 and they were reported by several foreign media organizations. These atrocities were published by “Politico”, a London based newspaper.

He explained that the PGR was formally questioned about the cases by the French oil and gas company TotalEnergies, which heads the liquefied natural gas (LNG) consortium, in Palma district, Cabo Delgado. The PGR then reacted, after comparing a preliminary analysis and instructing a subordinate body in the place of the facts to take the appropriate legal action.

“The PGR, as the holder of the criminal action, is currently investigating this criminal case and is at everyone’s disposal for any further information. The cases are in the preparatory stage, so that the facts can be clarified and the perpetrators can be held accountable.

When asked about the number of those involved in the alleged crimes, Dos Reis said that “the process is currently taking place under unknown terms.”

“What is known is that at the time (in 2021) around 800 members of our security forces, including police officers and soldiers, were deployed in the northern operational theatre. At the moment, the magistrate who is stationed at the local Prosecutor’s Office is investigating in order to bring more details”, he said.

“All the steps have to be taken between the Palma district and logically with the collaboration of the FDS, with information having to be exchanged from the country’s capital”, he added.
Regarding terrorism offences in Cabo Delgado, Dos Reis said that the PGR recorded around 26 cases in 2024, compared to 76 in 2023.

In April 2021, TotalEnergies declared force majeure to suspend all activities on the LNG project, due to a major terrorist raid against the town of Palma.

The Mozambique LNG Project, budgeted at 20 billion dollars, began with the discovery of reserves of over 65 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Rovuma Basin, which led TotalEnergies and its partners to take a Final Investment Decision in 2019.

The project includes two gas liquefaction units to be built on the Afungi Peninsula, with an expansion capacity of up to 43 million tonnes per year.
(AIM)
MR/Ad/Pf