- The victim was accused of participating in the forced disappearance of three local youths
- The public invaded the police post where the victim was interrogated. They dragged him out by force and then murdered him
By MOZTIMES
Pemba (MOZTIMES) – A member of the Local Force ethnic militia, stationed at Mbonge village, in Ancuabe district, was beaten up and then burnt alive, on the morning of Wednesday, 26 November. He was killed by a furious crowd after it had allegedly been confirmed that he had participated in the forced disappearance of three young people who drove motor-bike taxis in the Ancuabe region.
The lynching occurred just a few metres from the Metoro-sede police post, but the police officers were unable to save the victim, who was being interrogated when he was forcibly removed by members of the crowd.
According to local sources, a few days earlier three young motorbike-taxi operators disappeared without a trace in Metoro village. The defence and security forces suspect that some motorbike-taxi drivers collaborate with or work for the insurgents, and this has led to tension between the two sides.
On Tuesday morning, a relative of one of the missing youths saw somebody driving a motor-bike which he said belonged to his relative. On Thursday, members of the public located the man who was using the suspect motor-bike. Under questioning, this individual said the motor-bike was given to him by an uncle, who is a member of the local force militia who lives in Mbonge village.
Mbonge is a village where the residents are mostly of the Makonde ethnic group. But it is in Ancuabe district, where the Makua ethnic group is dominant. Ethnic relations in Cabo Delgado have historically been marked by tensions, made worse by the insurgency. The Makondes, traditionally linked to political and military power set up their own militia, the Local Force, to defend themselves from the insurgents. Their members have been accused of committing atrocities against members of other ethnic groups, namely the Makua and the Mwani.
The member of the Local Force was then called to the Metoro police post to explain about the motor-bike that was in the possession of his relative. After several interrogations, and in the presence of relatives of the missing taxi operators, he admitted that the youths were killed by members of the Local Force and that he witnessed the murders. At that moment, the angry crowd began to assault the suspect, despite the presence of the police. The police agents fired into the air but were unable to restrain the crowd. The victim was beaten and burnt alive.
A video widely shared on social media shows the crowd throwing objects at the victim, before burning him alive on the verge of National Highway Number 14, which links Pemba to Montepuez. (MT)
