Luanda - The members of the National Assembly said on Tuesday in Luanda that the MP Manuel Rabelais enjoys the principle of presumption of innocence.
Manuel Rabelais is accused of crimes of embezzlement, violation of rules of execution of the plan and budget, undue receipt of advantages and money laundering.
The National Assembly approved on Tuesday, with 170 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions, the suspension of the mandate and the waiver of the immunities of MP Manuel Rabelais of the parliamentary group of the ruling MPLA party.
Manuel Rebelais is accused of crimes of embezzlement, violation of plan and budget implementation rules, improper receipt of benefits and money laundering, as director of the former Office of Revitalization of Institutional Communication and Marketing Administration (GRECIMA), between the years 2016 and 2017.
Besides Manuel Rabelais, it is also involved in the case as the defendant Hilário Santos, a GRECIMA employee at the time, who was an administrative assistant.
According to the Constitution of the Republic, in its Article 150, Members of Parliament may not be arrested or detained without authorisation to be granted by the National Assembly or, outside its normal period of operation, by the Standing Committee, except in the act of committing an intentional crime punishable by a prison sentence of more than two years.
According to the president of PRS, Benedito Daniel, the suspension of the mandate of the MP Manuel Rabelais was necessary to allow him to defend himself before the organs of justice.
Arlete Chimbinda of UNITA said the suspension of Manuel Rabelais' mandate is covered in the National Assembly's regulations.
“The National Assembly must not obstruct justice. As part of the ongoing process, our bylaws provide for the waiver of immunities for a deputy who is being investigated to allow the courts to do their job, but that does not mean that he is guilty, ”she said.
In turn, Alexandre Sebastião André of CASA-CE, said that, until proven otherwise, the principle of the presumption of innocence prevails, with the MP being able to prove his innocence in the crimes of which he is accused.
