Charges dropped against prison police officers

Public prosecutors dropped murder charges against two of five police officers suspected of being responsible for the death of 83 people who were jammed into a small prison cell and who suffocated to death. The 83 died in November in Montepuez, a small town in northern Mozambique. The charges against the two officers were dropped because there was not sufficient evidence that they directly caused the deaths, the Mozambique News Agency reported on Friday.

Prosecution on first degree murder charges against Montepuez district police commander Dahalili Sumail and officers Terciano Mithale and Horacio Nhoca continues. Mithale was the officer on duty on the night of the deaths, and Nhoca was in charge of the cell, according to the report. The case is set to continue on July 20.

According to the report, many of the dead prisoners were supporters of the rebel Renamo group, now the country’s main opposition party, who had been arrested following nation-wide anti-government demonstrations. At least 41 people were killed in clashes between protesters and police during those demonstrations. The report said Rnamo and the ruling party Frelimo fought a civil war that ended in 1992. Renamo claims the December elections were rigged, though international observers and the country’s election commission said they were fair.