Maputo — The Provincial Attorney's Office, in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, has opened criminal proceedings against four illegal miners allegedly involved in an attack against a mining company located in Maraca village, Mogovolas district.

The individuals are accused of being part of a group that was involved in invading the facilities of the mining company Faruk Brothers, where they allegedly bludgeoned to death a police officer deployed to protect the facilities.

According to a statement published by Nampula Provincial Attorney's Office, the case is being processed by the District Prosecutor's Office "in response to the events that occurred in the early morning of 28 December, 2025, which resulted in deaths. There were also reports of deaths among the illegal miners.'

According to the note, it is premature to give an exact number of victims, as the investigation is still ongoing but "damage was caused to the mining company's infrastructure during the invasion.'

At the time, the Police reported the deaths of only six people, including an officer. However, a local NGO, the Koxukhuru Association, cited by the independent newsheet "Carta de Moçambique', the case resulted in over 40 deaths and 13 injuries, most of them illegal miners.