Five arrested in Mozambique Defence Ministry embezzlement case

Mozambican authorities have announced the arrest of five people, three of whom were employees of the Ministry of Defense, accused of embezzling more than 40 million meticais (563 thousand euros).

These are high-ranking officials who are associated with the administrative and financial departments, the Central Anti-Corruption Department (CACD) said in a statement.

“The investigation managed to uncover convincing evidence of crimes related to embezzlement, illegal enrichment, abuse of office or official powers, tax fraud, criminal association and money laundering,” the statement said.

The start of this process was announced on August 2 by GCCC spokesman Romualdo Jonam.

“To complete the crimes, the agents transferred valuables to several companies that allegedly had concluded a contract to purchase goods and provide services to the state, without fulfilling the conditions of the tender announcement and without concluding the contract,” Romualdo Honam said at a press conference to review the activities in the first half of this year in Maputo.

In total, according to data updated by the authorities, the accused embezzled another 40 million meticais, which had been allocated to the General Staff of the Mozambique Defence Forces, although at the beginning of the month this amount was 52 million dollars. meticais was declared meticais (732 thousand euros at the current exchange rate).

“[Os indiciados] “They began paying large sums of cash to purchase goods for personal use, displaying outward signs of wealth that were inconsistent with their legitimate income,” the GCCC spokesman added at the time.

Mozambican authorities confiscated three houses and the same number of vehicles as part of the trial, which was indicted in September 2023.