The board of directors of Mozambique Airlines (LAM) announced on Wednesday (28) that the company’s director-general will step down as part of the company’s restructuring measures.
According to a press release, João Carlos Pó Jorge will be replaced by Theunis Christian de Klerk Crous, a partner at Fly Modern Ark (FMA), who will take on the role on an interim basis until 30 April, the period set for the decision to renew the contract with the South African consultancy hired to recover LAM.
The document adds that the termination of Pó Jorge’s duties, who had held the position since 2018, comes after the director of the restructuring project, Sérgio Matos, denounced a scheme to embezzle money from ticket shops using automatic payment terminal (POS) machines that did not belong to the company.
The Central Office for Combating Corruption (GCCC) is investigating alleged embezzlement schemes and acts of internal sabotage at the airline Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, and has already “filed case 21/P/GCCC/2024, with a view to clarifying the material truth”.
“The GCCC decided to take action after becoming aware, on 12 February, through the media and digital platforms, of new facts relating to the purchase of airline tickets in LAM shops using automatic payment terminals belonging to third parties and under-invoicing in the purchase of fuel on the Maputo-Lisbon flight,” clarified a source.
Recently, the government guaranteed that it would be held responsible through the competent authorities if the illegal acts were proven. The Prime Minister, Adriano Maleiane, said that the Executive is “on top of” the matter related to the alleged misappropriation of funds, clarifying that “if it is proven that the management rules were violated, there is room to punish those involved”.
“If it is proven that the management rule has been violated, this will be corrected, and there are legal and financial instruments for resolving the problem, so as to prevent others from arising. We will help the company and its managers find the right path,” he explained.
LAM has been undergoing a revitalisation process, with Fly Modern Ark managing it, since April last year. The company’s strategy follows years of operational problems related to a reduced fleet and a lack of investment.
LAM’s flight network has 12 destinations on the domestic market. Regionally, it flies regularly to Johannesburg, Dar es Salaam, Harare, Lusaka and Cape Town, while Lisbon has been its only intercontinental destination since 12 December.
The airline operates more than 40 flights a day, using its fleet of one Boeing 737, three Q400s, two Bombardier CRJ 900s and two Embraer 145s operated by its subsidiary Moçambique Expresso (MEX).
