João Carlos Pó Jorge, antigo director-geral da Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique. Foto Arquivo
Maputo, 26 Feb (AIM) – Mozambique’s Central Office for the Fight against Corruption (GCCC) on Thursday detained João Carlos Pó Jorge, the former managing director of Mozambique Airlines (LAM), for alleged mismanagement, embezzlement and corruption.
In addition to Pó Jorge, who managed LAM for almost six years, the authorities also detained Hilário Tembe, the LAM former Director of Operations; and Eugénio Mulungo, the company’s head of Treasury. Another senior manager was also detained, but his identity has not yet been revealed.
On Wednesday, the GCCC had announced that five criminal proceedings had been opened against LAM employees, “each with specific objectives and at different stages of processing, aiming at investigating facts that may constitute criminal offenses and potential damage to public funds.”
Another case focuses on the details and legality of the agreement signed between the South African company Fly Modern Ark Airlines (FMA) and the Institute for the Management of State Holdings (IGEPE).
FMA was hired in 2024 by the government to bring LAM into profitability and rescue it from bankruptcy. During its administration, FMA denounced and discovered the embezzlement of around 3.2 million dollars from the coffers of LAM.
IGEPE then confirmed that there had indeed been embezzlement of the company’s funds, including the acquisition of properties in favour of some LAM officials, as well as bank accounts set up abroad and sales outlets (POS) held by people outside LAM.
(AIM)
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