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The Maputo Juvenile Court is scheduled to hear the case of a 13-year-old boy accused of killing his 12-year-old neighbour, known as Edy, in the Militar neighbourhood of Maputo, on Thursday, 15 October. Under Mozambican law, children under the age of 16 cannot be held criminally responsible, although they may be subject to educational and corrective measures.
The hearing was scheduled four days after the child's death, in a case involving two minors living in the same area of the Mozambican capital.
According to the newspaper O País, the case will be heard by the Juvenile Court because Mozambique's Penal Code establishes that children under 16 are below the age of criminal responsibility.
Under Law No. 8/2008, governing juvenile guardianship proceedings, the accused teenager cannot be sentenced to imprisonment or receive a criminal record as a result of the juvenile proceedings. However, the court may impose corrective and educational measures, depending on the circumstances of the case.
Measures provided for under the legislation include a formal reprimand, a good behaviour bond, restrictions on visiting certain places or associating with particular individuals, psychological and medical assistance, and placement with a suitable family.
The law also provides for placement in public educational institutions under a semi-residential arrangement, admission to vocational training institutions, and community service.
Depending on the court's assessment, a residential placement measure may also be ordered, potentially involving admission to the Special Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility in Boane, Maputo Province.
These measures are primarily intended to promote the education and social reintegration of minors involved in acts classified as criminal offences, while preventing further incidents.
Figures released by Mozambique's Public Prosecutor's Office show that 513 cases involving children below the age of criminal responsibility were recorded in 2025. These cases involved physical assaults, theft, drug trafficking and consumption, sexual offences, homicides and robberies.
During the same period, 64 minors were held at the Special Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility in Boane.
The hearing scheduled for 15 October is expected to allow the Juvenile Court to examine the allegations against the teenager and determine whether any juvenile protective or educational measures should be applied in accordance with Mozambican law.
Mozambique's National Communications Institute (INCM) has expressed concern over the growing number of companies and individuals providing parcel and correspondence delivery services without the required licences, at a time when only 38 postal operators are legally authorised to operate in the country.
South African jurist and human rights advocate Navi Pillay, 85, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, announced on Friday, 9 October, in Oslo, Norway, in recognition of her contributions to peace, international justice and accountability for serious human rights violations.
Annual shrimp catches in Mozambique's Sofala Bank have fallen by 40%, from approximately 2,500 to 1,500 tonnes, a decline that authorities link to illegal fishing, violations of the closed fishing season and the destruction of mangroves, all of which threaten the sustainability of fisheries resources in the region.
Mozambique and Tanzania have agreed to strengthen defence and security cooperation by adopting joint strategies to combat terrorism, organised crime and other cross-border threats that pose risks to the stability of both countries.
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