Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) has admitted that some of its officers have been working with organised crime groups, undermining the institution’s efforts to combat criminal activity.
However, according to SERNIC Director-General, Ilídio Miguel, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the transfer of SERNIC to the supervision of the Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) is one of the factors contributing to the restructuring process.
According to the Director-General, the country had gone 12 months without recorded kidnapping cases, a result he linked to the reforms underway.
The wave of kidnappings, particularly of business people of Asian origin, has been under way in Maputo, Matola and other Mozambican cities since 2011. It had a damaging impact on the country’s economy because it scared investors away, and was one of the factors persuading businesses to move their money to other countries.
Since 2022, the crime has also been identified as a source of terrorist financing, prompting the adoption of specific legislation to combat both kidnapping and terrorism.
“Today we feel we have greater autonomy and, at the same time, sufficient material and human resources to respond to the challenges we face. As you know, combating organised crime requires adequate resources, both human and material, but above all, the human component”, he said.
According to Miguel, despite the progress, the situation should not lead to complacency, acknowledging that organised crime continues to pose a threat from within the institution.
“We recognize that there are challenges within our own ranks, which is why we continue to clean up our ranks. This is not a phenomenon confined to the police or SERNIC. Organised crime tends to co-opt and infiltrate critical institutions to achieve its objectives. It is our responsibility to protect our institutions and prevent organised crime from penetrating our ranks,” he said.
The director-general added that some officers had already been removed from SERNIC because of such conduct, stressing that the institution could not deny the existence of the problem.
Source: AIM