"(The trial) begins on the 28th in the city of Dundo, Lunda Norte province, but Zeca Mutchima is still being held here in Lunda and we have no information on when he will be transferred, we are waiting for the Angolan State to create conditions for the effect", his lawyer, Salvador Freire, told Lusa this Thursday.
Zeca Mutchima has been detained by the Criminal Investigation Service, in Luanda, since February 8, 2021, indicted for the crimes of "association of malefactors and armed rebellion", following the incidents of January 30, 2021, in Cafunfo, Lunda North province, which resulted in deaths and injuries.
The lawyer was also concerned about the health condition of the MPPLT leader, saying that his current levels of hypertension continue to "inspire care".
"His health condition remains worrying, at this time his level of hypertension continues to rise and not only he, like his other colleagues in Lunda Norte, because he has three there, detained within the scope of this process, who are also in deplorable conditions. ", lamented Salvador Freire.
According to the Angolan police, about 300 people linked to the MPPLT, which for years has defended autonomy in that region rich in mineral resources, tried to invade, in the early hours of January 30, 2021, a police station in Cafunfo, and in defense the forces of law and order and security killed six people.
The police version is contradicted by the leaders of the MPPLT, political parties in the opposition and local civil society, who speak of more than a dozen deaths.
Zeca Mutchima is appointed by the authorities as the leader of this alleged "act of rebellion", which for local citizens was a "peaceful demonstration".
The Public Ministry (MP) accused Zeca Mutchima and 25 protesters involved in protests in Cafunfo, in an order, for committing crimes of outrage against the State and its symbols and association of criminals.
According to the order that Lusa had access to, Zeca Mutchima is being accused in a single case with 25 other co-defendants, having in common the crimes of outrage to the State and its symbols and association of malefactors, while the protesters will respond also for the crimes of rebellion.
The order states that the 25 co-defendants and others, in a composition of 400 people, belonging to the so-called MPPLT, armed with firearms, of the AKM type, shotguns, arrows, irons, sticks, cutting instruments, handcrafted explosive devices, forks (fisgas), small axes, machetes and statues of superstition moved to the premises where the police station in Cafunfo operates, with the aim of occupying it.
