The Attorney General's Office (PGR), at the Nampula office in northern Mozambique, has revealed that the case of the illegal detention of the customs agent is already at the investigation stage.

On August 24, customs agent Alírio João was illegally detained for refusing to take photographs of luxury cars seized at checkpoint 1 in Nampula, and for also refusing to answer a phone call supposedly from the Secretary of State in Nampula province, Jaime Neto.

On Thursday (03), the chief provincial prosecutor in Nampula, Osvaldo Rafael, said in a newspaper publication "The Country"He said that he was unable to give details of the stage the case was at because it was a secret from the courts. Meanwhile, the luxury cars that were at checkpoint No. 1 have been removed to the auction warehouse in Nacala.

"We had already sent it to the media from the Office of Communication and Image of the Prosecutor's Office. They have a specific office and spokespeople in the Prosecutor's Office. They are the ones who can say anything that happens in the Nampula Provincial Prosecutor's Office," said Osvaldo Rafael in the same publication.

The source refused, however, to reveal whether the prosecutor's office had already responded to the request, via a document, made to the police, in this case the district command, stressing that it is a "secret instruction".

"As long as this case is being investigated and there has been no trial, we can't comment on any of the proceedings, otherwise we'll be violating the principle of secrecy of justice and this principle of procedural matters, which is the secrecy of the preparatory investigation, which is secret," he added.

(Photo DR)