The trial of Venâncio Mondlane, a member of Mozambique’s Council of State, begins on Tuesday, 17 November, at the Supreme Court in Maputo. According to the Club of Mozambique, this marks the country’s first trial to feature audio and video recording of hearings. The case involves five remaining charges against Mondlane, including incitement to terrorism, stemming from post-election demonstrations held between October 2024 and March 2025. These protests, called by Mondlane, who rejects the official results that gave Daniel Chapo the presidency, resulted in more than 400 deaths and widespread vandalism.
Pedro Nhatitima, a Supreme Court judge-counsellor, confirmed the start date and the new technological setup during a press conference. He explained that the system involves image and sound recording, followed by transcription into a written document. This method aims to significantly reduce the length of proceedings by eliminating manual minute-taking. Nhatitima noted that the European Union supported the equipment installation, with a second system planned for Nampula or Sofala province. He expressed hope that all courts would eventually adopt this technology for greater speed and reliability.
The courtroom has a strict capacity of 45 people. The Club of Mozambique reported that ten media organisations, including the Lusa News Agency, hold permanently reserved seats. Four additional places are allocated for national media on a rotating basis, and one for foreign correspondents, subject to prior registration. Photographs are permitted only between 09:15 and 09:30 local time daily. The court allocates seats to the Government Information Office, the Bar Association, the public, and the defendant. Two non-governmental organisations, the Centre for Public Integrity and the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, each receive one permanent seat.
The trial panel includes five Supreme Court judge-counsellors, two deputy attorneys-general, one assisting party representative, and two defence lawyers. The prosecution presents 12 witnesses, while the defence has 20 witnesses and two experts from mobile operators Vodacom and Tmcel. Nhatitima stated that the charges brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office remain unchanged. While the technology is expected to accelerate the process, the court has not estimated the trial’s duration, noting it varies by witness testimonies. Sessions run from 10:00 to 15:30 local time. Security measures include closing adjacent streets to traffic.