A total of 198 defendants have been convicted of participating in riots that took place on 7 and 8 October 2023, in the city of Saurimo, in the province of Lunda Sul, eastern Angola, Angolan Public Television (TPA) reported on Wednesday.
According to the court's decision, it was proven that the defendants, aged between 18 and 78, men and women, disobeyed the order to disperse issued by the national police, marched to the vicinity of the provincial government palace, throwing stones, bottles and sticks at the officers.
At least three police officers were injured and several vehicles were damaged, the judge said, as quoted by TPA, noting that the perpetrators were members of the self-styled "Legal Sociological Manifesto of the Lundese People".
This Manifesto is led by Jota Malakito, who defends the autonomy of the Lunda-Tchokwe region in Angola, and attempted to promote an act of proclamation of the autonomy of this territory.
The co-defendants were also sentenced to pay a court fee of 44,000 kwanzas, compensation of 1,700,000 kwanzas to the national police and a further 450,000 kwanzas.
The provincial delegation of the Ministry of the Interior announced, at the time of the events, in October 2023, that the movement included an undetermined number of men, women and children who left the Candembe neighbourhood for the centre of Saurimo, disturbing public order.
According to the police, instructions were given not to continue the march, but the protesters rose up, "creating a riot and causing trouble, throwing stones, sticks, bottles and other blunt objects", and breaking the windows of two patrol cars.
Images circulating on social media showed the raising of a flag proclaiming independence, which was followed by an attempted march that was stopped by the police.
