Maputo — The former director of planning and finance in the central Mozambican province of Manica, Antonio Leitao, has been arrested, reports Saturday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

The police detained Leitao on Thursday on charges of theft of public funds, other (as yet unspecified) economic crimes, and falsification of documents.

Leitao was brought before a magistrate on Friday who formalised his detention. He is now in the Manica provincial jail while investigations continue.

The chief provincial attorney, Tomas Zandamela, announced the arrest, but declined to say how much money Leitao is accused of stealing.

Leitao left the post of provincial finance director in the second half of this year, and was posted to the central regional division of the state inspectorate, based in Beira.

Another provincial government scandal has led to the detention of Tamane Wazir, head of the traffic services in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

His arrest follows investigations by Assistant Attorney- General Isabel Rupia into the Cabo Delgado provincial government's purchase of illegally registered vehicles.

A businessman in the neighbouring province of Nampula registered 30 luxury vehicles in Cabo Delgado, apparently in an attempt to avoid paying tax and import duties. The vehicles were then sold to various departments of the provincial government - until the police, in collaboration with the customs service, began seizing them. The police have so far picked up at least eight of these illegal vehicles that were in the possession of high ranking officials, including provincial directors and district administrators.

The name of the businessman who registered the vehicles has not yet been made public, nor is it clear whether all the cars were purchased legitimately at their point of origin, or whether they were stolen.

As head of the traffic services, Wazir would be responsible for the irregular registration of these vehicles.