Supreme Court orders the unfreezing of Venâncio Mondlane's accounts

The Supreme Court ordered the immediate unblocking of Venâncio Mondlane's bank accounts, including mobile wallets, which had been blocked by order of the Maputo City Judicial Court since November 2024, in the context of post-election protests.

The decision comes at a time when Mondlane is preparing to be tried in the Supreme Court itself, where he is accused of several crimes, including incitement to violence and terrorism.

The Supreme Court has ruled that all banking and financial institutions must immediately restore Venâncio Mondlane's access to his accounts and mobile wallets. The court considered that maintaining the block, after the disappearance of the grounds that justified it, would constitute a disproportionate and unjustified restriction on the right to property, enshrined in the Constitution.

The accounts had been frozen in November 2024 by the Maputo City Judicial Court, under the Law on the Extension of Confiscation and Recovery of Assets, at the height of the protests contesting the results of the October general elections. At the time, the court also ordered financial institutions to provide information on Mondlane's accounts and their transactions throughout 2024.

Despite this legal victory, Mondlane continues to face serious criminal charges. The Supreme Court has scheduled the start of the trial for November 17, 2026.

The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses Mondlane of five crimes: public advocacy of crime, incitement to collective disobedience, public incitement to crime, incitement to terrorism, and incitement to acts of terrorism. The accusations are based primarily on statements made in social media broadcasts, in which he called for protests, strikes, and blockades.

If convicted, Mondlane could face a prison sentence of more than 20 years.

Mondlane confirmed he will appear in court and stated he is prepared for the trial, arguing that it should be based on facts and the law, without political interference. His defense has already expressed concern about the impartiality of the process.

The Supreme Court previously rejected the defense's request for television broadcast of the trial, citing the need to protect witnesses, prevent contamination of evidence, and stop the process from being "instrumentalized."

It should be noted that Mondlane, as the second most voted candidate in the 2024 elections, is a member of the Council of State and enjoys judicial immunity. In June 2026, the Council of State decided to suspend this immunity to allow the criminal proceedings to move forward.

Following the October 2024 elections, Mondlane refused to acknowledge Daniel Chapo's victory and led months of nationwide protests. According to non-governmental organizations, clashes with police during the demonstrations resulted in over 400 deaths.

In short, the unfreezing of the accounts represents a limited victory for Mondlane in the judicial arena, but it does not change the fact that he continues to be tried by the Supreme Court on serious charges related to the post-election demonstrations.