Police chief accused of Mozambique abuses sacked by new president

Mozambique's police chief Bernadino Rafael has been sacked, following allegations of brutality during October's disputed election and its aftermath.

He has denied claims by prominent opposition figures that he had worked with criminal groups to kidnap and kill civilian protesters in recent months.

The country's new President Daniel Chapo, who took office last week, announced Mr Rafael's removal on Thursday.

It is the first major security shake-up of Chapo's presidency so far, as he faces immense pressure to win public trust and kick-start the ailing economy after months of unrest.

Mozambique is in the throes of one of its worst post-election crises since independence.

Outraged citizens took to the streets after evidence of election-tampering was overlooked and Frelimo was once again declared the winning party, extending its almost 50-year rule.

Some 300 people have been killed in protests since, say civil society groups.

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Ex-police chief Rafael said earlier this week that only 96 people had died, including 17 officers.

He says those killed had attacked police officers who had defended themselves, or they had been hit by stray bullets.

According to the Mozambique Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (CDD), agents from the elite National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) dressed in civilian clothing "infiltrated protest crowds to identify and record the addresses of young participants" and "later carried out house raids, often resulting in arbitrary arrests and killings".

Their actions "[turned] residential areas into war zones", says CDD's report, which Sernic has not commented on.

Mozambique's police force has also denied claims that it was responsible for shooting dead two political aides in broad daylight. Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe worked for Venâncio Mondlane, who claims he is the true victor of October's election.

Mondlane has been leading the post-election protests despite stints in self-imposed exile for his safety, and he alleges that he has been targeted for assassination on at least two occasions.

Analysts including Mirna Chitsungo and Luís Nhanchote had told the BBC that after taking office, President Chapo should sack Mr Rafael.

He was sacked after seven years as Mozambique's police chief.

President Chapo has replaced him with Joaquim Sive, who was previously the police chief for the provinces of Sofala and Nampula.

In 2019, Sive was suspended from his duties after at least 10 people died after a Frelimo rally at the 25 de Junho Stadium in Nampula.

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