Government announces new arrests in LAM restructuring process until 2032

The Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, recently revealed that more arrests may occur as part of investigations into irregularities that have been compromising the economic and financial situation and the image of the state-owned company Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM).

According to the governor, the measures stem from an accountability process based on the results of a forensic audit conducted in 2025, which identified several illicit practices accumulated over several years. According to Matlombe, the problems detected are not recent and reflect a management culture marked by a lack of firm intervention by previous administrations.

The minister explained that many of the managers who worked at the company were aware of the irregularities, but did not show the "courage" to stop the schemes that harmed the interests of the State. "We are now making the effort to cut off these practices," he stated, emphasizing the Government's commitment to restoring legality and transparency in the company's management.

Among the irregularities identified, payments made to various companies that allegedly never provided services to LAM stand out. These situations are now being analyzed by the competent authorities, with the Public Prosecutor's Office of Mozambique responsible for conducting criminal accountability proceedings and protecting the interests of the State.

Within this process, the Executive Administrator of the Institute for the Management of State Holdings (IGEPE), Raimundo Matule, clarified that the arrests are part of a broader restructuring strategy for the company, with a horizon up to 2032. He explained that this is a plan divided into three phases: an initial emergency phase, currently underway, followed by a stabilization phase, and finally, a development and expansion phase.

Matule asserted that holding those involved in illegal acts accountable is a fundamental step towards LAM's recovery, arguing that internal reform will allow the company to transform into an economically and financially sustainable enterprise.

The first arrests in this case took place on February 26th of this year, conducted by the Central Office for Combating Corruption (GCCC). Among those arrested is João Carlos Pó Jorge, who led the company for about six years and is suspected of involvement in crimes of mismanagement, embezzlement, and corruption.

Hilário Tembe and Eugénio Mulungo, both associated with the company's operational and financial management, were also arrested. A fourth senior executive is also in custody, although their identity has not yet been officially released by the authorities.

The ongoing process represents one of the most profound attempts to restructure LAM in recent years, in a context where the Government seeks to restore the company's credibility and ensure its long-term viability in a sector that is strategic for economic development and mobility in the country.