Maputo — A senior official in Mozambique's ruling Frelimo Party is facing charges of corruption in the Chiuta district court, in the western province of Tete, according to a report in Thursday's issue of the independent newssheet "Carta de Mocambique'.

The official, Goncalves Joao Jemusse, the Frelimo Tete provincial first secretary, is accused of involvement in the theft of a million meticais (about 15,700 US dollars, at the current exchange rate). The crime allegedly took place when Jemusse was the Chiuta District Administrator.

The Public Prosecutor's Office is charging Jemusse and five others with embezzlement, falsification of documents, abuse of office, payment of undue remunerations and illicit participation in business.

The crimes all concern the illicit use of funds from the Chiuta District Secretariat. Those charged alongside Jemusse are the District Permanent Secretary, Manuel Cebola, the budget manager, Raimundo Cebola, the head of the local administration department, Domingos Puzumado, the personnel manager, Jardito Anastacio, and a finance department staff member, Egrita Alfredo.

The case dates back to June 2019 when Jemusse, the two Cebolas and Egrita Alfredo, allegedly transferred 300,000 meticais of the district's money to their personal bank accounts.

The prosecution says that Raimundo Cebola drew up this proposal, which was authorized by Jemusse.

Five months later, in November 2019, Jemusse and the two Cebolas, organized a scheme to buy five motor-cycles and motor-cycle helmets, in violation of the rules for public procurement.

In all, according to the prosecution, the six accused defrauded the state of almost a million meticais between 2019 and 2021. Jemusse is also accused of hiring his wife, Madalena Baptone Fraqueza, for a position in the Chiuta District Secretariat which did not exist.

A preliminary hearing at the Chiuta court was scheduled for Thursday, at which the court should decide whether there is enough evidence for a trial.