July 2001 Africa News Headlines

MAPUTO - Mozambique's national police force has expelled 156 officers so far this year for misconduct while on duty, including lending weapons to criminal gangs, the police command said yesterday.

Sixty officers were expelled from the force in Maputo, the general police command said in a statement.

The other expulsions were in the neighbouring southern provinces of Gaza and Inhambane.

The offences cited included a variety of charges such as collaborating with criminals and lending weapons to gangs, the statement said.

Crime rates, and particularly armed robberies, have been rising in this impoverished southern African state all year, especially cash robberies from government and private institutions.

- Nampa-Sapa-AFP

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