By Paschal Norbert
QUELIMANE, JUNE 12, 2026 (CISA) – As the Catholic Church in Mozambique prepares to bid farewell to the late Rt. Rev. Osório Citora Afonso, IMC, authorities have confirmed the arrest and detention of three suspects linked to the killing of the Bishop of Quelimane on June 6.
The National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in Zambézia Province announced the development during a press conference held on June 11, describing the arrests as a significant step in efforts to uncover the circumstances surrounding the bishop’s death.
Speaking to journalists, Domingos Barrone, SERNIC representative in Zambézia, said the three suspects are currently in custody and that their arrests have been legally validated by the competent judicial authorities.
Barrone declined to reveal the identities of the detainees or provide details regarding their alleged roles in the crime, citing the ongoing nature of the investigations.
“The investigation continues with the aim of fully clarifying the circumstances that led to the death of the religious leader,” he said.
Local media reports, citing sources close to the investigation, have suggested that those detained may include a priest and two bodyguards assigned to the Episcopal residence. However, SERNIC has not officially confirmed the identities or occupations of the suspects.
The arrests come as Catholics across Mozambique continue to mourn the sudden and violent death of the bishop, whose killing has shocked the nation and prompted widespread calls for justice.
According to Church and police reports, Bishop Afonso was fatally shot on the morning of June 6 at his official residence in Quelimane. Initial reports indicated that unknown assailants entered the episcopal compound and opened fire, critically wounding the bishop by shooting him to the chest.
The late prelate was serving as Bishop of Quelimane and, at the time of his death, was also Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Beira. A member of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC), Bishop Afonso was widely respected for his pastoral leadership, commitment to peace, and service to the Church in Mozambique.
As investigations continue, the Church has commenced funeral rites for the slain bishop.
On Friday, June 11, the body of Bishop Afonso was received at the Parish of Our Lady of Liberation Cathedral in Quelimane, where an official ecclesiastical Funeral Mass was celebrated on June 12. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Archbishop Luis-Miguel Muñoz Cárdaba, Apostolic Nuncio to Mozambique, and attended by bishops, the President of Mozambique Daniel Chapo , priests, religious, government officials, and hundreds of faithful.
Following the Mass in Quelimane, the bishop’s remains will transported by air to Nampula, his home ecclesiastical province, for a private family celebration and final burial. Upon arrival, the body will be received at Consolata Seminary in the Nampaco district, where an overnight vigil will be held, allowing the faithful an opportunity to pay their last respects.
The funeral program will conclude on Saturday, June 13, with a Mass at the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral in Nampula. The liturgy will be presided over by Archbishop Inácio Saúre, IMC, Metropolitan Archbishop of Nampula and President of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique.
After the Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Afonso will be laid to rest at the Clergy Cemetery of the Archdiocese of Nampula, located near the Mater Apostolorum Preparatory Seminary in the Nampaco district.
