US embassy cable - 05MAPUTO1408

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001408 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR AF/S - HTREGER 
MCC FOR SGAULL 
NSC FOR CCOURVILLE 
PRETORIA FOR LEGATT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCOR, KCRM, MZ, PGOV, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE: MURDER OF DIRECTOR OF MAPUTO CENTRAL 
PRISON 
 
 
1. On October 21 the Director of Maputo Central Prison, Jorge 
Microsse, was fatally shot in the Pequenos Libombos area of 
Boane district, about 40 kilometers outside Maputo city. 
According to press reports, Microsse was approached in his 
car by four armed men at approximately 1730 hrs as he stopped 
to drop off two secondary school students he and his 
girlfriend had picked up hitchhiking.  Microsse was killed 
instantly by a single shot to the chest; no one else was 
injured.  The armed men escaped in Microsse's car, an older 
car unlikely to attract carjackers.  All three witnesses were 
taken into police custody for questioning.  The two students 
were subsequently released.  As of October 27 the girlfriend 
remained in custody for additional questioning, with her 
identity not yet made public.  It is unclear whether she has 
been identified as a suspect in the murder. 
 
2. According to press reports, Microsse made many enemies in 
his short time as director of the Maputo Central Prison (he 
only took over as director at the start of this year).  He 
was outspoken about the existence of "corrupt networks" 
operating within the prison and reportedly had received 
numerous death threats.  Following a mass break-out in May, 
Microsse suspended a number of guards suspected of extorting 
money from prisoners in exchange for false release papers 
and/or looking the other way during prison escapes.  On 
October 17 Microsse reportedly sent a letter to the National 
Directorate of Prisons claiming he was being harassed by a 
suspected armed robber, Bernardo Tivane, who was out of 
prison on bail.  (Note: Microsse allegedly had held up 
Tivane's bail release.  End note.)  The Maputo Central Prison 
has been the scene of numerous high-profile breakouts over 
the past few years, including the 2001 and 2004 escapes by 
Anibal dos Santos Junior (Anibalzinho), the man charged with 
leading the group that murdered prominent investigative 
journalist Carlos Cardoso in November 2000. 
 
3. Comment: Most observers have dismissed the notion that the 
attack was a crime of opportunity, believing instead that 
Microsse's murder was aimed at thwarting the Guebuza 
government's efforts to fight corruption and organized crime 
within the prison system. 
La Lime