Luanda, ANGOLA, October 23 - The Specialty Commissions of the National Assembly (AN) unanimously approved this Friday a Joint Opinion Report for the withdrawal of immunities of MPLA Parliamentary Group Deputy Manuel Rabelais. ,

According to the document, to which ANGOP had access, "all the requirements are met" to grant the Supreme Court's request for the suspension of the mandate and the withdrawal of immunities, for the purpose of continuing the process.

Manuel Rebelais is accused of crimes of embezzlement, violation of plan and budget execution 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 the former Minister of Social Communication, is also involved in the process, as defendant, Hilário Santos, then GRECIMA's administrative assistant.

The statute of deputies defines that the loss of immunities occurs through a request from the courts to the National Assembly, which in turn will meet in plenary and, through a resolution, decide whether or not to withdraw the immunities".

According to the Constitution of the Republic, in its Article 150, deputies may not be detained or imprisoned without authorization to be granted by the National Assembly or, outside the normal period of its operation, by the Standing Committee, except if caught red handed for a felony punishable by a prison sentence of more than two years. 

After criminal proceedings have been initiated against a deputy and once he or she has been charged with an indictment or equivalent, except in red hand for a felony punishable by a prison sentence of more than two years, the plenary of the National Assembly must decide on the suspension of the deputy and the withdrawal of immunities.

The issue of the eventual withdrawal of Manuel Rabelais's immunities was addressed this Thursday, by the presidents of the parliamentary groups, and should have a final decision on the 27th of this month, at the time of the first plenary of this Parliamentary Year. 

Regarding the meeting of the Specialty Committees, this Friday MP Mihaela Webba, of the UNITA Parliamentary Group, accused the Attorney General's Office (PGR) of being "selective", arguing that there are other cases involving other Members of the Parliament in which she makes no statement.

This standing was denied by MPLA deputy João Pinto, for whom the PGR and the Supreme Court are performing their duties responsibly.

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