Cardoso killer escape again

MAPUTO – A man convicted of the murder of Mozambique’s top investigative journalist has escaped from prison for the second time, the Interior Ministry said on yesterday.

Anibal dos Santos Junior was serving a 28-year jail term for murdering 49-year-old Carlos Cardoso – gunned down in November 2000 while investigating the disappearance four years earlier of US$14 million in privatisation funds from one of the country’s commercial banks. “On 9 May 2004 Anibal dos Santos Junior disappeared from his cell.We have informed the police in southern Africa and are appealing to all citizens to report anything that might help in the search of the fugitive,” Interior Ministry spokesman Nathaniel Macamo said in a statement.Dos Santos escaped from prison in September 2002 while awaiting trial and fled to neighbouring South Africa, where he was caught and returned to Mozambique last year – days after he was convicted in absentia for his role in the death.The ministry said the circumstances surrounding the man’s escape from a top security prison in Maputo were not known.Several prison warders were arrested in connection with his first escape.-Nampa-Reuters”On 9 May 2004 Anibal dos Santos Junior disappeared from his cell.We have informed the police in southern Africa and are appealing to all citizens to report anything that might help in the search of the fugitive,” Interior Ministry spokesman Nathaniel Macamo said in a statement.Dos Santos escaped from prison in September 2002 while awaiting trial and fled to neighbouring South Africa, where he was caught and returned to Mozambique last year – days after he was convicted in absentia for his role in the death.The ministry said the circumstances surrounding the man’s escape from a top security prison in Maputo were not known.Several prison warders were arrested in connection with his first escape.-Nampa-Reuters