Maputo — Two Mozambican policemen used their firearms last week to steal 274,000 meticais (about 9,130 US dollars) from a post office in Marracuene district, about 30 kilometres north of Maputo, according to a Wednesday report on Radio Mozambique.

The spokesperson for the general command of the police, Pedro Cossa, named the two only as Arlindo and Jose Trindade. He said they had only recently joined the police, and usually work in police units in Maputo city.

Cossa said the two men deserve “exemplary punishment”, which would serve as an example to others, and pledged that the police force “remains implacable against all acts which do not dignify the work of the police”.

“It’s a disgrace for the State to have an employee who commits this kind of crime”, he exclaimed.

But Cossa also blamed the local community from which the men were drawn – for the process of recruiting policemen involves consulting their communities, in an attempt to see whether they enjoy a good reputation. These consultations led the police to believe that the two men were deserving of entry into the force, but instead their behaviour “stains the institution”.

“These are dishonest individuals who joined the police intending to steal from people rather than protect them”, said Cossa. “Since the police cannot tolerate such acts, disciplinary proceedings are under way that will culminate with their expulsion”.