The Murder of Carlos Cardoso
On 22 November 2000, Carlos Cardoso was murdered.
Cardoso was an out-spoken journalist and Mozambican patriot who made it his life’s-work to expose the scourge of corruption in Mozambique. Cardoso’s investigative work earned him an international reputation and his assassination has been seen as a blow for press freedom in Mozambique and in the region. However, successful attempts to prosecute those responsible for his death – though allegedly not fulfilled – are indicative of the attempt by the Mozambique state to challenge corruption and enforce the rule of law.
This documentation will highlight Cardoso’s assassination within the context of growing systemic corruption in Mozambique since the early 1990’s, with the liberalisation of the economy. The IMF-imposed fiscal restructuring and privatisation of the previously state-controlled economy was wracked by corruption and the misappropriation of funds.
The privatisation of Banco Comercial (BCM) bank was wracked by huge fraud during which an alleged $15 million was siphoned off. These funds were later replaced from the State Treasury to secure a privatisation deal with Absa bank of South Africa.
Through his daily faxed newspaper, Metical, Cardoso and his colleagues criticized the lack of action taken by the Government in investigating the theft. He had also made enemies in high places through his relentless criticism of the Government’s de-regulation of the cashew industry, and handling of the death of 83 Renamo supporters in a police cell.
The ‘Cardoso Murder Trials’ into Cardoso’s assassination have opened up a can-of-worms of the underground dealings between high-ranking officials and unscrupulous, well-connected businessmen who are able to act outside the law.
During the trials, 4 men were convicted of Cardoso’s murder. In addition, brothers Momade Assife Abul Satar, Ayob Abul Satar and Vincente Ramaya were accused of making payments to the hit-men and found guilty of ordering the assassination. However, throughout the trial, the name of Nympine Chissano was connected to the murder by many witnesses. Nympine is the son of President Jaoquim Chissano, current head of the African Union. The Abul Satars have accussed him of ordering the assassination and instructing them to make the payments to the hit-men. There exists a number of uncashed cheques from Nympine to the Abul Satars. The Abul Satars claim that Cardoso’s whistle-blowing threatened to expose Nympine and other senior official’s involvement in the BCM theft. Despite a international outcry, Nympine has not yet been brought to court and there are claims that high-placed officials are deliberately dragging their feet in this regard. The case has also been linked to 2 further murders. In August 2001, Anton io Siba-Siba, Interim Chairman of the collapsed Austral Bank was murdered while attempting to recover bad debts from, among others, senior people in Government and the ruling party, Frelimo. In 1997, banking administrator, Jose Lima Felix was murdered.
The trial of Cardoso’s murderers was in an almost unprecedented manner, televised live to the nation and conducted in an open court in full view of hundreds of witnesses. This in itself, has gone some way towards introducing transparency to a sensitive, high-profile case, by involving the Mozambican public, and thereby suppressing speculation of heavy-handedness by senior officials.
This case study includes articles from a broad range of sources. The documentation discusses corruption in Mozambique and especially in the privatisation of the banking sector. Further articles highlight the life and work of the late Carlos Cardoso, the details of his assassination and follow the subsequent ‘Cardoso murder trials’ through the Mozambique News Agency.
(Photo: Joao Silva/PictureNET Africa: A banner displaying the word 'justice' and posters with the face of slain journalist Carlos Cardoso, which say 'We inisist on justice' and 'we want to live with-out fear' can be seen at a shrine in Maputo where the journalist was killed.)
