The Central Office for Combating Corruption (GCCC) announced that it is investigating three cases involving senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, accused of embezzling a total of 52.3 million meticals.
According to a statement from the GCCC, the agents involved made transfers of money to various companies, allegedly contracted to carry out public works, purchase goods and provide services to the state. These transactions were carried out without due observance of the procedures for launching tenders and signing contracts, alleging reasons of contingency and military urgency.
The same officials are also accused of making large cash payments for the purchase of goods on a personal basis, displaying outward signs of wealth incompatible with their lawful income. This behaviour led to the opening of criminal proceedings for embezzlement, tax fraud, illicit enrichment and money laundering.
The three cases in question involve five defendants, all of whom are currently at large and are being investigated by the courts. So far, the names of the officials involved have not been disclosed.
In addition to this case, the GCCC recently reported that in the first half of this year the state accumulated a loss of around 405 million meticals as a result of acts of corruption in various institutions in the country. According to the GCCC, this figure is the result of 1,328 cases processed. The most frequent legal offences were passive corruption for an illegal act, with 236 cases registered, followed by active corruption, with 169, abuse of office or function, with 95, embezzlement, with 70, and simulation of competences, with 65.
“The GCCC reaffirms its commitment to pursuing investigations impartially and rigorously, with the aim of ensuring that those involved are held accountable and that the embezzled sums are recovered. This case, considered one of the biggest corruption scandals in the defence sector in Mozambique, could have significant repercussions for the country’s politics and economy,” the statement said.
