San Tomean soldier attacked at barracks to receive medical treatment in Portugal

Sao Tome soldier Marcelo da Graça, who was attacked at the barracks of the armed forces on November 25, will be taken to the hospital of the Portuguese armed forces this week due to an injury, an official source said.

“As a result of the physical aggression committed on November 25 last year at the Morro barracks, the military, who did everything to prevent the alleged coup attempt, […] had, according to a medical report, a traumatic brain injury, in connection with which the General Staff of the Armed Forces decided to evacuate Captain Marcelo da Graça to the military hospital of the Portuguese Armed Forces for better medical supervision,” reads a note from the Ministry of Defense and Interior released early Monday morning.

“Marcelo da Graça is due to leave the country this week,” the note reads.

On Monday, the São Tomé government commended Marcelo da Graça, the target of attacks, and Carla do Espirito Santo for their actions in defense of the homeland during the November 25 assault on the military barracks.

“The country recognizes it, the army recognizes it, we all recognize their performance at the fateful dawn of November 25th. Just as they all swore to defend their homeland, even with their blood, on the basis of the oath and education they received in the armed forces, they did it,” said Minister of Defense and Interior of Sao Tome and Principe Jorge Amado .

In the early hours of November 25, four men attacked the military barracks in the capital Sao Tome, an attack that the authorities described as an attempted coup.

According to the São Tomé prosecutor’s office, in the barracks, the men seized weapons and took hostage a day officer, Lieutenant Marcelo da Graça, who was “beaten” and gagged with “duct tape” and who “understood that he would not be able to resist the attackers, having decided to stay on earth and pretend to be dead.

During the night there were several skirmishes between the military and the attackers.

Negotiations with the attackers about the release of the lieutenant and surrender continued until dawn, two tear gas grenades were thrown into the office where they were located.

Only after the door was blasted with TNT did the attackers surrender and the lieutenant was saved, being taken to Aires Menezes Hospital where he was hospitalized with “20 days of illness”. The soldier was left with scars on his head and ear “as irreversible consequences.”

The Sao Tome Ministry of Defense emphasizes in a memo that soldier Carla Espiritu Santo “stands between the traitor military and Master Sergeant Eliak de Souza, day sergeant, blocking the line of fire, preventing him from firing.”

“They gave themselves to this fight, practically gave their lives, and today we are here praising and encouraging them for this fact, for this deed,” emphasizes the Minister of Defense.

Marcelo da Mata was promoted to captain and Carla Espiritu Santo to second corporal.

“We understand that many will follow this path, so those who stood up for the defense of the Motherland can be congratulated, and the country is proud of its children,” the Minister of Defense concluded.

Military personnel who were promoted received the insignia of the State of Sao Tome.

After the storming of the barracks, three of the four attackers and another man, later detained by the military, were ill-treated and died in custody. Last week, the Public Ministry of Sao Tome (MP) charged 23 members of the armed forces, including former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Olinto Paquete and current Deputy Chief of Staff, with the torture and death of four people.

As for the attack, in February, prosecutors already charged nine military personnel and one civilian with involvement in the assault on the headquarters of the Armed Forces, seven of whom were charged with attempted murder.