Henrique Martins was sentenced on 17 October to five months in prison by the Mutarara District Court, after being found guilty of ballot box stuffing in Frelimo’s favour. Martins was a polling station chair at the Mapulango primary school, Inhangoma, Mutarara Tete.
According to the court, Henriques gave extra ballot papers to a voter previously identified as a Frelimo supporter to introduce them into the ballot box. The Renamo delegate (poll watcher) saw this and took the ballot papers from the hands of the voter, and went on to submit a complaint to the district attorney’s office.
Four other members of the polling station staff (MMVs) were also heard by the court on 17 October (See Bulletin 81). Claudino Hilario and Tomé Pinacua, both of Frelimo, were acquitted for insufficient evidence. The remaining two were called for a new session at the Mutarara District Court.
