Maputo, 4 Apr (AIM) – The Mozambican Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) on Wednesday detained Artimiza Magaia, a senior figure in the rulng Frelimo Party in the southern province of Gaza, who is accused of defaming Agostinho Vuma.
Vuma is the chairperson of the Confederation of Mozambican Business Associations (CTA) and is a former Frelimo deputy in the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic.
According to a report in Friday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”, Magaia was detained in Maputo, but she had already been sentenced in absentia by the Gaza Provincial Law Court.
Vuma had submitted his complaint against Magaia first to the Massingir district court. She is alleged to have libelled Vuma during last year’s internal elections in Frelimo, that were selecting candidates for the October parliamentary elections. Vuma was hoping to be chosen so that he could run for a further five year parliamentary term of office.
The libels occurred in videos which Magaia circulated on social media.The Gaza court heard that she attacked Vuma in at least two videos, thus violating an injunction which forbade her from mentioning Vuma’s name in her videos.
Her most serious accusation against Vuma, which he regarded as libellous, was the claim that he had resorted to bribery in his attempt to secure re-election, including a bribe of 30,000 meticais (about 470 US dollars) deposited in Magaia’s bank account.
(AIM)
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