Maputo — The disturbances at the Maputo top security prison (commonly known as the B.O.) on Saturday were much worse than the police claimed, and at least one of the rioting prisoners was shot, according to Tuesday's issue of the independent newsheet "Mediafax".

The paper says the man shot is Manuel Fernandes ("Escurinho"), one of the men who has confessed to the November 2000 assassination of journalist Carlos Cardoso. Prison sources contacted by "Mediafax" said that Fernandes was shot in the foot, and is currently unable to walk.

Other prisoners were also injured during the disturbances, including two of the men charged with ordering the murder of Cardoso, Vicente Ramaya, and Momade Assife Abdul Satar ("Nini").

"Mediafax" says they were both beaten by the police - Ramaya suffered injuries to his back, and Satar to his right arm.

Many less well known prisoners also had to be treated in the prison clinic.

The basic cause for the rioting seems to have been the recent restrictions imposed by the prison management on visits.

But the police also see the hand of Nini Satar behind the disturbances.

The great wealth of the Satar family has allowed him to buy influence inside the prison, corrupting prisoners and guards alike. Although mobile phones are strictly forbidden inside the prison, Satar has repeatedly obtained them. In an attempt to prevent forbidden items being slipped in through Satar's cell window, the prison authorities put mosquito netting over the bars. This netting was torn down during the riot.

In his immediate reaction to the disturbances, the general commander of the police, Miguel dos Santos, declared in exasperation on Saturday night "the B.O. is being run by Nini".

The police also attacked some of the journalists who tried to cover the Saturday events at the B.O. Police officers allowed two reporters from the weekly paper "Zambeze", Estevao Manjate and Luis Muianga, to enter the prison.

But once they were inside, other policemen threw them out again. Even worse, a policeman named Tomas Tete, ripped a roll of film out of Muianga's camera. The two reporters identified themselves, and showed their press cards - Tete promptly confiscated these too, although he returned them half an hour later.

The two journalists did, however, see that several prisoners had been handcuffed, and chained up in the open, exposed to the heat of the afternoon sun. They learned that these men were accused of trying to dig a tunnel under the prison wall in order to escape.