Good afternoon. In the fight against the Islamic State-backed insurgency in northern Mozambique, the justice system is conspicuous by its absence. A mere 32 cases were launched for terrorism offences last year, and only 26 the year before, according to a new report from the Attorney-General’s Office. This is not for a lack of people to charge. The insurgents have many collaborators among their friends and families in the insurgent heartlands of Macomia and Mocímboa da Praia districts. But they are not being brought to justice.
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Suspected insurgents caught in war zones with a gun in their hand do not tend to face prosecution anyway: the security forces just kill them, war crime though that may be. Those who are arrested outside war zones and who do not seem to be combatants may be referred for prosecution, but the security forces are badly equipped to collect evidence of terrorism offences, so that by the time prosecutors are referred to them, a lot of evidence has been lost or spoiled. In the past, this did not matter so much: prosecutors handed suspects over for trial and courts convicted suspects in large numbers, even if the case against them was weak. But in the last few years, attitudes have changed and judges now throw out cases a lot more. Thus fewer cases are being opened, as prosecutors are now less willing to begin cases that don’t have much of a chance. While innocent people were convicted in the past, today it is likely that guilty people are going free.
