The Commander General of the Republic of Mozambique Police (PRM), Bernardino Rafael, today led a ceremony in Maputo province where 12 officers were expelled from the force for committing marginal acts.

Among the crimes committed by the expelled officers are extortion of citizens, clandestine recruitment of candidates for police training in Matalane and the use of police uniforms to commit activities outside the police order.

Cited by Radio MozambiqueBernardino Rafael said that the expulsions were an example of the intolerant attitude of the police towards the lack of discipline among officers.

"We will continue to purify the ranks. They won't back down. We're not going to stop, because they've transgressed the rule of social coexistence in our police force," said the Commander General of the PRM.

In Bernardino Rafael's view, the "visible" difficulties faced by PRM agents are no reason to tolerate marginal practices.

"One of the things they say is the problem of salaries. Some talk about the cost of living. Others raise issues that are not plausible. We have always recognized that we have visible difficulties that affect each of you and Mozambicans. We must manage our difficulties so that we don't have to manage problems like we do now," he said.