A group of seven well-off citizens is demanding compensation from Grafex Limitada, a subsidiary of Triton Minerals, for giving up land rich in graphite in the Ancuabe district of Cabo Delgado province.

According to the newspaper EvidenceIn 2015, these individuals obtained Land Use Rights at a breakneck pace after learning of the mineral's occurrence on their land. The documents were granted five months after the government approved Grafex's concession.

The fact is that these plots of land have been idle for almost eight years now, and there is a possibility that obtaining the respective DUATs was a strategy for later demanding compensation and consequently "vacating" them.

According to the source we quoted, the seven citizens include prosecutors, Frelimo members, political leaders and simple figureheads.

The land is in dispute. On the mesas, Grefex Limitada has a DUAT that gives it around 10,274.70 hectares. The other seven DUATs over the same areas vary in size from 200 to 350 hectares, and were curiously issued on the same day, December 15, 2015. They never developed farming on these lands. It's still natural forest.

Faced with this situation, writes the newspaper, the supervisory commission is proposing the extinguishment of the Land Use Rights (DUATs) for non-compliance with the exploration plans. And, in order to ensure that the seven DUAT holders can carry out their activities elsewhere, it is also proposed that they agree to the maximum negotiation/compensation proposal put forward by the company. Read more in issue 137 of newspaper we quote.