Anibal dos Santos

Aníbal António "Anibalzinho" dos Santos Júnior (Aníbal dos Santos, born 1971 or 1972) is a Portuguese criminal convicted of masterminding the November 22, 2000, murder of Carlos Cardoso, a journalist investigating bank fraud in Mozambique's Central Bank (BCM). After a first trial in absentia in 2003, As of April, 2008, dos Santos remained in Mozambican custody and was investigated in another attempted murder case, that of BCM lawyer Albano Silva.

December 7, 2008, dos Santos escaped from a maximum security Maputo jail for a third time. On the next day, the news media reported that dos Santos was arrested 36 hours after escape, but on December 10 a police spokesperson denied these reports, saying that dos Santos was still at large. After eight months at large, in August 2009 dos Santos was recaptured in South Africa.

Background In November 2000, white Witnesses said the shooters fired 10 shots, killing Cardoso and injuring his driver. The murder occurred two weeks after 26 people were killed in riots; Cardoso reported on the incident and was highly critical of both leading political parties' actions preceding the clashes. The murder and funeral of Cardoso "produced a rare show of unity among political opponents"; president Joaquim Chissano and opposition leaders vowed to solve the murder. Later, Western media reported dos Santos was one of the four, the mastermind of the murder. Dos Santos' lawyer expressed fears that dos Santos might already be dead and "there were reports of bloodstains in his client's cell". Seven low-level prison guards were tried and acquitted in connection with the escape. Court sessions were broadcast on national TV. She said dos Santos "was helped to flee to London in order to prevent him from testifying", she also claimed that he was innocent and ready to return to Mozambique and testify if given security guarantees. The next day the court declared dos Santos guilty as the mastermind of the crime, and sentenced him to 28 years and six months. Other suspects received up to 23 years. No charges where ever brought against Chissano family members.

In the end of 2003 three of the convicts, but not dos Santos, were reported to be involved in court proceedings against the fraud at the Central Bank — the last case of Carlos Cardoso.

Second escape and extradition According to the Ministry of Interior statement, "On 9 May 2004 Anibal dos Santos Junior disappeared from his cell." Anonymous sources at the prison said that dos Santos was "actually taken out of the jail by accomplices". international press organizations called on the Canadian government to "expedite [the] return of dos Santos" too. Dos Santos applied for political asylum in Canada, stalling the extradition process for half a year. On December 14, 2004, Canadian authorities approved extradition, and dos Santos finally departed for Mozambique on January 21, 2005, Reporters without borders and other press organizations celebrated the capture.

Dos Santos immediately pleaded innocent and not guilty and said that his previous statements on the Cardoso case had been the result of manipulation by his former defence lawyer. Dos Santos exonerated Nyimpine Chissano from any association with the murder and identified the Satar family members, already convicted at the 2002-2003 trial, as his principal clients.

On December 30, 2008, the Mozambican Interior ministry dismissed top-ranking police commanders for their part in the December 7 escape. It was reported that the officials visited Anibalzinho on the day before the escape and did nothing about the hole in the corridor wall that was used by the fugitives. .