Mozambique's ruling Frelimo party has romped to victory in elections. (Photo Courtesy African Elections Project)

Maputo — The Murrupula district court, in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, has found two policemen guilty of destroying election posters belonging to the main opposition party, Renamo, reports Thursday's issue of the "Mozambique Political Process Bulletin", published by AWEPA (European Parliamentarians for Africa) and by the Mozambican NGO CIP (Centre for Public Integrity).

The head of public relations for the Nampula Provincial Police Command, Antonio Maneque, confirmed that the court had tried the men, found them guilty and sentenced them to pay a fine.

The policemen had been stationed to provide security during the election campaign in Murrupula. But instead of doing their job, they had opted to tear down Renamo posters, thus abandoning the neutrality police officers are supposed to show during the campaign.

Maneque also revealed that a police officer had been surprised in Nacaroa district working directly for the ruling Frelimo Party, by sticking up Frelimo posters. The Nampula police commander, Arsenia Massingue, immediately withdrew this man from the district for further investigations.

"We recognise we've been rather weak, and we became involved in these situations", said Maneque.

Also in Nampula, a court in Angoche district ordered the release of ten Renamo members, who had been detained when Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama passed through the district during his presidential campaign. They were accused of destroying Frelimo propaganda material, assault, and attacking the local police command to demand the release of other Renamo members held there.

The court ordered their release on the grounds of lack of evidence. The same court issued a summons for other Renamo members to answer questions concerning electoral offences. The local Renamo delegate, Ibramugy Saide, described the summons as "an act of intimidation".