The Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) revealed yesterday, Thursday (03), that it had opened criminal proceedings against the presidential candidate for the Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS), who has been running his election campaign in Manica, central Mozambique, since Wednesday.

According to a DWIt all started when a man drove past Venâncio Mondlane's caravan, which was dragging masses, running over the presidential candidate's supporters, which prompted the demonstrators to start violence against the man, who was beaten up but survived thanks to the intervention of the police.

However, the head of public relations at the PRM provincial command in Manica, Mouzinho Manasse, blamed Venâncio Mondlane for what happened, citing the crime of incitement to violence.

"A case is underway against the candidate of the PODEMOS party, who is accused of the crime of incitement to violence, where after a collision involving a passenger car, members and sympathizers of this party removed the driver from his vehicle and physically assaulted him and destroyed his vehicle," explained Mouzinho Manasse.

Asked to comment on what had happened, Venâncio Mondlane said that the police should be impartial. "Now they say they've prosecuted Venâncio Mondlane because he marched out of time. Everyone saw a police car with the flag of that party campaigning, why don't they prosecute that candidate and that party?" he asked.

(Photo DR)