Suspect 'threatened judge'

2002-12-05 13:23

Maputo - A Mozambican judge on Thursday said a fugitive suspect in the murder of investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso had threatened key figures in the trial with death, and ordered police to step up security.

"There is one of the accused who has been issuing threats, and we call upon him to give himself up so that he can express himself better," Judge Augusto Paulino said.

"The case will be seen to the end despite these threats against judges, prosecutors, lawyers and witnesses," Paulino said.

Cardoso was gunned down in Maputo in November 2000, as he was investigating the disappearance of about $14 million from the state bank BCM before its privatisation in 1996.

The only suspect in Cardoso's murder who is not at the trial is Anibal Antonio dos Santos, better known as Anibalzinho, who mysteriously escaped from the Maputo maximum security prison in September.

But authorities also believe that Momade Assif Satar, who is accused of financing the crime, may have found a way to issue threats from inside the prison where he is being held with four other suspects in the case.

Last week, Mozambican police confiscated six cellphones that the suspects had smuggled into the prison.

Satar, better known as Nini, was found with two cellphones, while suspects Manuel dos Anjos Fernandes, Vicente Ramaya, Carlitos Rachide and Vicente Ramaya were found with one phone each.

Inmates are not allowed to keep phones inside the prison.

In addition to investigating the banking scandal, Cardoso had been vocal in denouncing illegal schemes in which Mozambican trade was used as a cover for a number of shady deals, including drug trafficking.

The trial is now in its third week.

Nyimpine Chissano, the eldest son of Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, is due to testify in the case on Thursday. Three of the murder suspects have accused him of helping to orchestrate Cardoso's death.

Nanay Pateguana, son of a former provincial governor, also is expected to testify on Thursday.

Former customs official Candida Cossa and Octavio Muthemba, former chairman of the commercial bank Banco Austral are due to testify on Friday.

Banco Austral nearly collapsed two years ago under the leadership of Muthemba and his partners from Malaysia's Southern Bank Berhard.

Local news reports also have linked Nyimpine Chissano to the bank's management, which abandoned the bank after running it to near collapse. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA