via Police deny Renamo claims – The Zimbabwean 29/03/2016
Maputor (AIM) – The Mozambican police on Monday denied claims by leaders of the rebel movement Renamo that money was stolen during the police raids on Renamo premises the previous day.
The police insist that the sole purpose of the Sunday raids was to seize illicit weapons. During the raids the police seized 40 AK-47 assault rifles (only 12 of which were in working order) and seven pistols.
But a former Renamo general secretary, Ossufo Momade, told reporters on Sunday that the police had also stolen a laptop computer and 258,500 meticais (about 5,170 US dollars).
At a Maputo press briefing on Monday, the spokesperson for the Maputo City Police Command, Orlando Mudumane, categorically denied the Renamo accusations.
He also insisted that the police had only raided two premises – the Renamo national headquarters, and the Maputo residence of Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama. Renamo claims a second house was raided, but Mudumane denied this. “We have nothing to hide”, he declared.
Damage was certainly done in the second house, since Renamo took reporters there on Sunday, and showed them that rooms had been ransacked, and drawers emptied. By denying that they set foot in the second house, the police are effectively suggesting that Renamo itself staged the raid there.
The police say nobody was arrested during the Sunday raids, but four Renamo guards were notified to appear at a police station on Monday. Mudumane said they are now being questioned about Renamo’s illegal weapons.
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