Background
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.)
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