Maputo — Mozambique's Supreme Court has issued a summons to Venancio Mondlane, former presidential candidate and leader of the National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola), for trial on five criminal charges related to post-election mass demonstrations.
The mass demonstration, called by Mondlane to protest against the fraudulent results of the general elections held in October 2024, started peacefully but then degenerated into rioting.
Mondlane is accused of having committed the following crimes: public apology for a crime, incitement to collective disobedience, public instigation to crime, instigation and incitement to terrorism.
According to Mondlane, who was speaking on Tuesday in a live broadcast on his official Facebook page, revealed to have received the Court's notification saying that "while no specific start date has been finalized, the judicial proceedings are expected to begin within the next two to three months."
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Mondlane explained that the Court has granted his defense team a 10-day period to submit a response or contest the timeframe. Despite the pending legal steps, he expressed calm and readiness to face the court in what is anticipated to be one of Mozambique's most high-profile trials.
"I think the country needs to go through this process, this stage, because it is the facts that will bear witness for me. We need to go through this trial by fire", he said.
The Anamola leader emphasized that the upcoming trial represents a historic moment for the nation, noting it will be the first time a former presidential candidate stands trial for challenging electoral results and demanding transparency.
Mondlane rejects allegations of inciting violence during the mass demonstrations that followed the election, placing responsibility for the unrest on police violent actions.
"What was violent was the police's response to the demonstrations. Credible organizations, including the country's Bar Association (OAM), Amnesty International, and the Decide Platform, never characterized the demonstrations as violent. It was the police who acted violently", he said.
According to the statistics collated by the NGO "Decide" Platform, the police shot dead about 400 people while 619 others were injured by gunshots during the five months of unrest that began on 21 October 2024.
The Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) reported that it has initiated 31 legal proceedings against police officers in the context of the post-election unrest. However, to date, no police officer has been convicted.
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Mondlane stated that he will announce the exact trial date in an upcoming broadcast once it is officially confirmed by the Supreme Court.
