Catholic bishop shot dead in Mozambique under mysterious circumstances
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
Bishop Osorio Citora Afonso, 54, a Catholic bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV to a central region of Mozambique, was shot dead at his home in Quelimane on Saturday. Maximino Amilcar, a spokesman for the criminal investigations bureau, stated that Afonso was shot in the chest, likely with a single bullet, and described the incident as "murder by gunshot." He added that details were not readily available. Mozambique's president, Daniel Chapo, expressed deep sadness over Afonso's death, calling it an "irreparable loss for Mozambican society." The Episcopal Conference of Mozambique noted that Afonso was found "lifeless and in mysterious circumstances that need to be made clear." Afonso, born in Mozambique, had previously served in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy, and as an auxiliary bishop in Maputo before his appointment as bishop in 2024 and subsequent transfer to the diocese of Quelimane in July 2025.
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