The Republic of Mozambique Police (PRM) in Gilé, in northern Zambezia, have arrested around 10 people allegedly involved in the demonstrations that took place last weekend, in protest at the election results of October 9, announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE)..

In the aftermath, the enraged population took two Law and Order agents hostage as a way of demanding the release of the detainees, as the head of the Public Relations Department at the PRM Provincial Command in this part of the country said on Monday (28).

At a press conference, Miguel Caetano pointed to an alleged teacher from a school in the district as the protagonist of the police officers' kidnapping. "At the time of all the confusion, some of our officers were actually overpowered, but thanks to the prompt intervention of other colleagues on the scene, it was possible to restore public order," Caetano explained, and then assured that the teacher will be prosecuted.

According to a Diário da ZambéziaIn order to disperse the demonstrators, the police fired a few shots, which apparently resulted in the wounding of some citizens, but our interviewee neither confirms nor denies this situation, assuring that he will check with his colleagues on the ground.

"We're going to do a more in-depth investigation to find out to what extent this information is true," he said.

(Photo DR)