Maputo — The "Decide' Electoral Platform, a prominent Mozambican NGO, claims that at least 176 people were shot dead by the police last week during rioting by supporters of self-exiled presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to protest against the fraudulent results of the general elections held on 9 October.

What Mondlane called the "Turbo V8' phase of the unrest started on 23 December after the Constitutional Council, the country's highest body in matters of electoral law, gave victory to the ruling Frelimo party and its candidate, Daniel Chapo.

The riots lasted for four days. This phase of the protests was the most fatal since demonstrations in support of Mondlane began on 21 October.

This brings the total number of fatalities since 21 October, to 278 across the country. The death toll is said to have been particularly high in this phase because it coincided with a mass breakout of prisoners from the Maputo Central Prison and the adjacent Top Security Prison.

According to the NGO, the southern city of Matola recorded the highest death toll with a total of 37 cases, while Manica province had the lowest with just one fatality.

"In terms of shootings, 240 people were shot during the 'turbo V8' phase, bringing the total number to 586 since the protests began. Maputo City had 62 cases of shootings, the highest number recorded by province, while the northern province of Niassa recorded the lowest number with just one case', reads the report.

During "Turbo V8', 167 people were detained, which brought to 4,201 the number of people arrested since the demonstrations began. The central province of Sofala stands out with 54 arrests, which is the highest number, while the southern Inhambane province recorded only one case.