Maputo — Mozambique's Central Office for the Fight against Corruption (GCCC) announced the detention on Monday of seven people implicated in the theft of 40.7 million meticais (about 636,000 US dollars, at the current exchange rate) from the General Staff of the Mozambican Armed Forces (FADM).

Three of those detained are members of the FADM who worked in the area of administration and finance. The other four are from building companies, and had no ties with the State.

The GCCC added that the investigations so far have led to the seizure of three houses and three vehicles.

The GCCC added that the detentions and seizures resulted from "strong indications' that those involved had committed the crimes of embezzlement, illicit enrichment, abuse of office, tax fraud, money laundering and criminal conspiracy.

The theft comes at a very bad time for the FADM and the Defence Ministry, which are arguing that a greater share of the state budget should be allocated to defence and security, in light of the battle against islamist terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The government has repeatedly stressed the need to re-equip and modernize the FADM.

The seven detainees (whose names have not yet been published) will be presented to a judge in the near future, for their initial interrogation. The judge must decide whether they will be held in preventive detention or released on bail.