Mozambique Police 'kill at will'

From Adrian L, a member of SAFF:

BBC NEWS

Mozambique police 'kill at will'

Police in Mozambique have been accused of killing and torturing people with
near total impunity.

The human rights group Amnesty International has published a report saying
the Mozambique police appear to think they have a licence to kill.

The group says officials have responded to rising crime rates with often
lethal force, but that they almost never face criminal proceedings.

Police in the southern African nation denied rogue police went unpunished.

Maputo city police spokesman Arnaldo Chefu admitted the existence of some
unlawful police officers in the country's service, who involve themselves in
criminal activities, including torture and killing, sometimes of innocent
civilians.

He said they faced up to 24 years in jail if convicted.

Changes needed

Amnesty's report was published just a day after Mozambique's League for
Human Rights said the country's human rights situation had deteriorated in
2008.

"Police in Mozambique seem to think they have a licence to kill and the weak
police accountability system allows for this," said Michelle Kagari, deputy
director of Amnesty's Africa Programme, in the report, entitled "Licence to
Kill".

"In almost all cases of human rights violations by police - including
unlawful killings - no investigation into the case and no disciplinary
action against those responsible has been undertaken, nor has any police
officer been prosecuted."

Amnesty's report highlights individual cases including that of Abrantes
Afonso Penicela.

Before he died, in August last year, he told his family how he had been left
for dead by members of the police.

Mr Penicela said five of them arrived at his home. He said he was grabbed
and bundled into a car. He was given a toxic injection, driven to a secluded
area and beaten up until he fainted.

He said he was then shot in the back of the neck and set on fire.

The police left him there, but he survived and managed to crawl to a nearby
road. Here he was found by local people who took him to a nearby hospital.
There he told his story to his family before dying from his injuries.

No police officer has been arrested over Mr Penicela's death.

In February, police opened fire on a group of people protesting in the
capital Maputo about increased transport fares, Amnesty's report says.

Three people were killed and around 30 injured in the incident.

Amnesty has recommended urgent changes to police codes to bring them into
line with international standards.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/...

Published: 2008/04/29 11:42:26 GMT

C BBC MMVIII

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d=60775/stime=1209487905/nc1=3848627/nc2=3848641/nc3=5028927>
Posted By: JoAn
*AfricanCrisis Volunteer*

Date Posted: Saturday 03-May-2008
STRANGE MANY OF MY FRIENDS WANT TO {SOME HAVE}GO AND LIVE IN MOZAMBIQUE,IF U WANT TO MOVE ANOTHER BLACK COUNTRY IS NOT THE WAY TO GO,AFRICA HAS GONE BACKWARDS SINCE THE WHITES LEFT,SURE WHITE BIG BUSINESS IS HERE BUT THAT FOR THEIR OWN "INTERESTS"BUT ITS NOT TO DO AS WAS DONE BEFORE.

GUS
s.africa

Date Posted: Saturday 03-May-2008
I don't want to comment too strongly on this particular incident, as I can't yet find anywhere a response by the police on this matter. I do want to point out that, as per the MO of these SOB's at A.I., no mention is made of the reason why this 'poor victim' was treated so specially. To the Libby wankers, before you get a funny sensation in your scrotum, let me point out that I don't know or care to what race/colour/creed this valuable member of society belongs.

I do want to mention that, as people who visit Mozambique regularly, we have no fear of walking anywhere around Maputo, night or day.

If this is what it takes, then to quote the only sensible words ever spoken by one of our illustrious ministers:

"Shoot to kill the bastards."

José
JHB
S.A.

Date Posted: Saturday 03-May-2008
Hi Jan, Police are propably also fed up with the lawlessnes. When there is a tide of continues evil, it makes people Hard. HR activates are also only on the scene when the lives of Terrorists and Crininals are at stake.

Nomad