The draft resolution concerning Manuel Rabelais, number 66 in the national constituency of the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA), was approved with 170 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.
With the approval of the resolution will now continue the process against Manuel Rabelais, accused and pronounced of the crimes of embezzlement in a continued manner, violation of the rules of implementation of the plan and budget and money laundering, punishable by more than two years in prison, committed as director of the Office of Revitalization and Implementation of the Marketing Institutional Communication of the Administration (GRECIMA).
During the debates, the deputies expressed various points of view, but all with guidance for the approval of the draft resolution, with expressions of solidarity.
In its explanation of vote, the parliamentary group of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) said it voted in favor, because it believes that the parliament as a body of sovereignty must comply and enforce the Constitution of the Republic, and should not obstruct the progress of judicial proceedings in which deputies are suspected.
According to UNITA Representative Mihaela Weba, the parliamentary group she is part of voted in favor because she is against corruption and understands that all those who have embezzled property and money from the Angolan treasury "are not worthy to be their representatives", asking for "real justice" and not selectivity, "persecuting some and protecting others".
In turn, the deputy of Convergência Ampla de Salvação de Angola - Coigação Eleitoral, André Mendes de Carvalho "Miau", despite not agreeing with most of the crimes of which Manuel Rabelais has been accused, after consulting the process, considered that it is "appropriate to suspend the mandate and withdraw immunity.
"I say very honestly, of all the accusations that are made to the deputy, in my view, only one harvest, the one that says violation of the rules of implementation of the plan and budget, this yes, because it is clear that GRECIMA acted as a bureau de change, as the process says, this I have absolutely no doubts," he said.
Already the MPLA parliamentary group deputy, Tomás da Silva, recalled that in parliamentary history rare were the times that the plenary was called to pronounce on the suspension of immunities of its members, as it does this time in relation to colleague Manuel Rabelais.
According to Tomás da Silva, this is a normal exercise that falls within the scope of the common legislative process, with legal backing under Angolan parliamentary law.
"This is not some kind of advance judgment of our colleague, nor is it intended to turn this plenary session into yet another platform for the exacerbation of ideological prejudices against those who exercise political power, as is unfortunately happening in social networks," he said.
For Congressman Lucas Ngonda, of the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) representation, although the withdrawal of immunities from the Congressman is an act provided for in the Constitution, when all the assumptions are met, the National Assembly must establish the culture of committees of inquiry, otherwise it will be "dragged into issues that sooner or later may make serious mistakes in its decisions.
