Sao Tome’s former prime minister said this Friday that he would be “vigilant” and on the front lines of the fight against human rights abuses following the shooting at the home of a former minister of his government in Portugal.
“When these things happen, it somehow makes us always reconsider our positions and be on our guard. Therefore, we will be vigilant against such situations, both abroad and here in the country, and the MLSFP will be ready on the line. struggle, at the forefront of the fight against violence, against the inversion of everything related to human rights, fundamental rights,” said Jorge Bom Jesus on the sidelines of the New Year’s welcome ceremony for the President of Sao Tome, Carlos New Village.
The Judicial Police (PJ) are investigating a shooting at the home of former São Tomé minister Osvaldo Abreu in Queluz, Sintra, on the night of December 31, a source connected to the trial told Lusa.
According to the same source, bullets were fired at the house, an apartment on the ninth floor, where a bedroom window was smashed, around 9 pm on Saturday night.
Osvaldo Abreu, Minister of Public Works, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment of the former government of Sao Tome and Principe, was at home with family members celebrating New Year’s Eve.
He himself confirmed this to Luce, saying that the glass was scattered around the room, and for several hours police officers were at the scene conducting an investigation.
In a complaint he filed with the police, to which Lusa had access, Osvaldo Abreu said that he was “fearing that the incident has something to do with the massacre and murder of four citizens that took place at the headquarters of the San Armed Forces.” Tome and Principe, and then ordered the arrest of political opponents.”
The Portuguese SP is also currently assisting in the investigation of the events of 25 November in Sao Tome, when four civilians attacked the headquarters of the armed forces and the subsequent death after being tortured while in custody. , the three attackers and a man who was later arrested after he was allegedly identified as the mastermind of the attack.
The Sao Tome authorities qualified the events as an attempted coup d’état.
Former National Assembly President Delphim Neves, whose mandate expired in November following legislative elections, was arrested by the military on the morning of November 25 after the attackers also allegedly identified him as the mastermind.
Delfim Neves, who pleaded not guilty, was released four days after appearing in court, which ordered identification and length of stay, as well as periodic presentation to the authorities.
Cooperation with the Portuguese police was requested by the São Tomé government, led by Patrice Trovoada of the Independent Democratic Action (ADI), who returned to power after winning an absolute majority in the 25 September legislative elections.
Osvaldo Abreu was vice president and is currently a member of the board of the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD) and was also part of the executive branch led by Jorge Bom Jesus, who ruled San Tome and Principe since the creation of the legislature in October 2018 in coalition with the PCD/UDD/MDFM bloc.