Police officers jailed for poll observer’s murder

A Mozambican court jailed four former elite police officers for the murder of a poll observer ahead of last year's national elections. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, Anastacio Matavele was shot dead in the southern city of Xai-Xai days before the October poll. He headed a grouping of civil society organisations that had revealed numerous irregularities in voter rolls. His assailants were apprehended after colliding with another car as they fled the scene, allowing police to link the murder to Mozambique's elite rapid intervention unit. ‘The defendants were hunting Mr Matavele as if he were a rhino,’ said prosecutor Leonardo Cumbe. Al Jazeera reports that Alfredo Macuacua, the head of the provincial rapid intervention unit, along with Tudelo Guirugo, Edson Silica and Euclidio Mapulasse, were charged with voluntary homicide, conspiracy, forgery and illegal use of firearms. The Gaza provincial court handed down jail terms of up to 24-years.