Maputo — The Attorney's Office in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado has set up a specialist section to seal with matters concerning terrorism, according to a report in the Maputo daily "Noticias".

The spokesperson for the Provincial Attorney's Office, Angelo Sueta, said this is the first section of the kind to be set up since the recent creation of the Central Offices for the Fight against Organised and Transnational Crime.

"This section, which brings together magistrates, law officers, and staff of the National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) has been set up because we are witnessing acts of terrorism in our province, which implies adopting strategies to deal with the challenges imposed by this type oF crime. And I should say that we are making progress", declared Sueta.

He was speaking to reporters in the provincial capital, Pemba, after presenting the charge sheet against a man named N.B Maita, accused of membership of the jihadist groups that have been ravaging parts of Cabo Delgado since October 2017.

According to the prosecution, Maita joined the terrorists in Macomia district. Initially, as a fisherman, he caught shellfish to feed the jihadists. Later he received military training at a terrorist base on the banks of the Messalo river.

He took part in operations in Mocímboa da Praia, Palma, Macomia and Ibo districts. He worked as a spy collecting information for the terrorists about the movements and capacity of the Mozambican defence and security forces.

He was caught on 21 December on Rolas island, where he was undertaking another piece of espionage. In his canoe were found a pistol, two knives, a pair of scissors, a copy of the Koran and a military belt.