Good afternoon. Last month might possibly have brought an end to the long series of courtroom battles related to the pigeon pea export scandal. Regular readers will know that the multinational agricultural commodity trader ETG has been locked in a three-year fight with the Mozambican conglomerate Royal Group to try to export pigeon peas and other crops from the port of Nacala. In short, Royal Group and people in the ruling Frelimo party have conspired to operate a cartel to monopolise pigeon pea exports, with help from corrupt police, judges and customs officials.
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Newspaper Savana now reports that a provincial court in Nampula province has finally struck down the decision by a corrupt judge in Nacala to authorise the seizure of $70m-worth of ETG’s goods back in December 2023, and the detention of ETG employees who were unable to pay exorbitant bail amounts.
That decision has been a long time coming. It has come after the original judge in that case, Noé Zimpinga, was found to have taken bribes and dismissed from his post. It also comes after the launch of legal action brought by ETG against the Mozambican government in an international arbitration court. ETG is suing the government for $120m for not having protected its rights under an investment treaty between Mozambique and Mauritius, where the company is registered. That legal action is ongoing, although a settlement ought now to be possible.
