The Judicial Court of Maputo province, at the level of the 6th Criminal Section, sentenced each of the three kidnappers to 30 years in prison for their involvement in the kidnapping of a Mozambican citizen, in November 2023, in the city of Matola..

According to a Letter from MozambiqueIn case no. 302/GCCCOT/2023, the defendants are Eurico José Armando Tembe, 37, a police sergeant assigned to the Rapid Intervention Unit; Gilberto Salomão Manjate, 38, an employee of Limpopo Security; and Sérgio Augusto Bambo, 47, a shopkeeper. At 4pm on November 9, 2023, the three kidnapped a Mozambican citizen in front of the old Recheio supermarket in the city of Matola.

For the defendant Eurico José Tembe, a police officer of the Republic of Mozambique, the court decided to sentence him to 20 years in prison for the crime of kidnapping, and 12 years in prison for the crime of possession of prohibited weapons, resulting in a total of 32 years. Considering that the applicable penal framework for such crimes ranges from 20 to 30 years, the single sentence of 30 years was applied.

Gilberto Salomão Manjate, a security company guard, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the crime of kidnapping, 12 years in prison for the crime of possession of prohibited weapons, eight years in prison and a fine of up to one year, at the minimum rate, for the crime of unlawful exercise of public functions, and 12 years in prison for the crime of possession of prohibited weapons. He was also sentenced to one year in prison and a fine at the minimum rate for the crime of falsifying documents. The sum of the sentences imposed totals 41 years and the applicable penal framework ranges from 20 to 30 years. He was therefore given a single sentence of 30 years in prison.

Sérgio Augusto Bambo, a businessman, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the crime of kidnapping, 12 years in prison for the crime of possession of prohibited weapons, and eight years in prison and a fine of up to one year, at the minimum rate, for the crime of unlawful exercise of public functions. The sum of the sentences imposed totals 44 years and the applicable penal framework ranges from 20 to 30 years. A single sentence of 30 years in prison was therefore imposed.

In addition, the sixth criminal session of the Maputo provincial court also decided to acquit the defendants Eurico José Armando Tembe, Gilberto Salomão Manjate and Sérgio Augusto Bambo of the crime of association to commit crime. The three defendants were also acquitted of the crime of falsifying documents.

The court also ordered the forfeiture to the state of the Toyota vehicle, model Mark X, and the defendant Eurico José Armando Tembe's house, located in the Matola A neighborhood, block 44, for having been used as instruments of crime. These assets must be handed over to the Asset Management Office.

The defendants Eurico Tembe and Gilberto Manjate were ordered to pay defense fees of 7500 meticais each. In addition, the three defendants must compensate the victim to the tune of 1.2 million meticais.

For the judge in the case, Jafete Fremo, "this penalty was imposed because, during the hearings, the defendants' conduct did not allow the measure to be mitigated". They always denied the facts, which were demonstrated with evidence. However, the judge recommended that the perpetrators of this crime behave appropriately during their stay in prison.

(Photo DR)