12 March 2008
Maputo — The Mozambican police have arrested the head of Economic Services in Macomia district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, for a series of thefts, reports Wednesday's issue of the weekly paper "Magazine Independente".
The Macomia district administrator, Xavier Vancela, confirmed that the head of the economic services, Lopes Najane, is accused of embezzling substantial sums from the local initiative investment fund.
This is the money sent by the central government to all 128 districts to be invested in projects that will boost food security and generate employment. The money is a minimum of seven million meticais (about 290,000 US dollars) per district.
Local businesses receive this money as a loan, but, according to the Administrator, Najane obliged the beneficiaries in Macomia to hand over 50 per cent of the money to him, on the grounds that he was the person who facilitated the loan.
The money stolen from the fund in this way amounted to 170,000 meticais (about 7,000 dollars). Najane is also alleged to have stolen money intended for inspection activities in the Quirimbas National Park (which covers the Quirimbas archipelago off the Cabo Delgado coast, and a strip of the mainland). It is not clear how much went missing from the park, whose monthly income is around 100,000 meticais.
Najane is also accused of abusing his position as a member of the preparatory commission for the celebrations last year of 25 September, the anniversary of the launching of the independence war. He allegedly stole part of the beef, chickens, rice and drinks purchased for the Macomia celebrations.
Najane is being charged with abuse of trust and is currently under detention in the police cells in Macomia.
PF/ (291)
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