Seven officials of the Mozambique Revenue Authority (Autoridade Tributária, AT) based in Tete have been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to 17 years, following a case involving the diversion of more than 160 million meticais from state coffers.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as cited by STV, the offences took place between 2015 and 2021 and implicated officials from various departments within the Revenue Authority, including staff from the Large Taxpayers Unit, the fiscal division, as well as a secretary, an auditor, and a head of a tax department.
The scheme centred on the payment of Personal Income Tax (Imposto sobre o Rendimento das Pessoas Singulares, IRPS) by mining company Gindal. Prosecutors allege that the company issued cheques intended to cover tax liabilities, but only a portion of the amounts was recorded in the Revenue Authority’s system.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office maintains that the remaining funds never reached the state treasury and were allegedly siphoned off by those involved through a scheme that operated for several years.
Following the trial, the court handed down differentiated sentences, including terms of 17 and nine years in prison, while other defendants received lighter sentences and fines. The crimes considered by the court included embezzlement, document forgery, money laundering, and illicit enrichment.
Arruído Sílvio Inácio Comando was sentenced to a consolidated term of 17 years in prison for embezzlement and document forgery. Noélia Estanque Zacarias Govinde received an equally severe sentence of 17 years, for crimes including embezzlement, document forgery, and money laundering.
Leandro Fernando Sabão was sentenced to nine years in prison for embezzlement and document forgery. Other defendants were convicted on charges related to illicit enrichment and were also ordered to pay compensation to the state.
The case also names the company Caloeira Construções, which was convicted and ordered to pay a fine for money laundering. The case, spanning events over a six-year period, represents one of the largest financial fraud proceedings involving Revenue Authority employees in the province of Tete.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/08/economia/financas/tete-funcionarios-da-at-condenados-por-desvio-de-mais-de-160-milhoes-de-meticais/
