Dozens of residents of the administrative post of Maluana, in Manhiça district, 100 kilometers from Maputo city, rioted on Monday, 17, at the local police station, demanding the release of nine members of the community, arrested last week in connection with the killing of seven alleged cattle thieves, including four police officers of the Republic of Mozambique Police (PRG).

The residents say that the detainees acted in defense of the interests of the people who have long been victims of cattle rustling in the face of what they consider to be the impassive gaze of the police, and say that they will not leave the police station until they see their neighbors free.

"We want the people arrested to be released, because they are not at fault" one of the community members told VOA.

A police officer, whose name he did not want to be revealed, said he escaped popular lynching because he was mistaken for the son of a community resident.

"They made me take off my cap and take off my uniform, but luckily someone mistook me for someone from the community and that's how I escaped," he recounted.

The survivor is part of a total of four PRM agents, who fell to popular justice, when they ended up at the place where three alleged cattle thieves, had been buried alive by the population.

The remaining four policemen ended up having the same fate.

"We are tired of being robbed. To the thieves we do our justice," added another community member.

A team from the Forensic Medicine Institute is still expected to proceed with the exhumation of the bodies that have fallen to popular justice.

The PRM general command says it is following the investigation and that there are no conclusions yet.