Attorney General's Office to hear Bernardino Rafael and Pascoal Ronda tomorrow regarding deaths in demonstrations

The Attorney General's Office (PGR) will hold a hearing this Tuesday, February 17th, at 10:00 AM, with the former Commander-General of the Police, Bernardino Rafael, and the former Minister of the Interior, Pascoal Ronda. The hearing, scheduled for the Public Prosecutor's Office headquarters in Maputo, is part of case number 09/PGR/2024, submitted on November 21st, 2024 by the DECIDE platform, which aims to hold the two leaders accountable for the deaths, torture, and other human rights violations during the post-election demonstrations that took place between 2024 and 2025.

The accusation brought by DECIDE, an organization led by activist Wilker Dias, focuses on the alleged command responsibility of the two former government officials. The civil society organization argues that, as leading figures in the security forces at the time, Bernardino Rafael and Pascoal Ronda bear direct responsibility for the coordination and execution of security policies that led to the excessive use of force against the population.

The figures presented by DECIDE paint a tragic picture of the period of protest. Although the data has varied over time, the organization points to more than 300 deaths and hundreds of injuries following the demonstrations triggered by the election results of October 2024.

Tomorrow's hearing represents a new chapter in a process that has been dragging on for over a year. It will not be the first time those involved have provided clarifications: Bernardino Rafael and Pascoal Ronda were already heard by the Attorney General's Office in July 2025. The fact that a new hearing is being held now suggests that the case remains in the investigation phase, and there may be new evidence or testimonies to be presented to the former leaders.

For human rights activists and family members of the victims, the expectation is that this phase of hearings may finally lay the groundwork for a formal indictment. Wilker Dias himself, when testifying in the trial in March 2025, reinforced the need for criminal accountability and compensation for the families affected by the repression.

This hearing takes place at a time when the country is still digesting the legacy of the post-election crisis of 2024-2025. The case against Bernardino Rafael and Pascoal Ronda is seen by observers as a crucial test of the capacity of Mozambican institutions, namely the Attorney General's Office, to investigate and, if necessary, hold high-ranking state officials accountable for allegations of massive human rights violations. The Attorney General's decision on the next steps after this hearing will be a crucial indicator of the maturity of the judicial system and its response to demands for justice from civil society.