As is often the case with graft cases, these scandals give grounds for both optimism and pessimism about institutional quality. On the one hand, the fact that the local media were able to investigate and publish serious allegations about senior officials is encouraging. Equally, that such allegations have led to the imprisonment of a former minister and two senior ministry officials, and look set to prompt the prosecution of the country's most senior judge, could indicate that the powerful do not enjoy impunity.

However, on the other hand the fact that such senior figures have been accused of corruption is by no means grounds for celebration. Sceptics may conclude that these two scandals indicate that senior officials can generally perpetrate corrupt acts with impunity, and that the accused in these instances were simply unlucky to become the subject of media investigations. Moreover, the two-year jail terms handed down to Mr Manhenje, Mr Fidelis and Mr de Carvalho were arguably lenient. The three were convicted on the basis of "budgetary irregularities" rather than the more serious charge of stealing state funds, which can result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The ostensible reason for this is that ministers and senior officials do not personally authorise spending, but rather delegate to subordinates. However, this provision in effect spares ministers and high-ranking civil servants from facing the full force of the law when accused of corruption. Another indication of shortcomings in the judicial system is the fact that Mr Manhenje's conviction happened six years after he left office and more than two years since his arrest in September 2008.

In the latest edition of the Corruption Perceptions Index published by a global anti-graft watchdog, Transparency International, Mozambique scored just 2.7 out of a possible maximum of 10, placing it 116th out of 178 countries surveyed. This assessment was identical to that of neighbouring Tanzania, and slightly better than those of Zimbabwe (scoring 2.4 and ranked 134th) and Madagascar (2.6 and 123rd). However, other neighbouring countries fared better: South Africa's score of 4.5 put it 54th globally, while Zambia was ranked 101st with its score of 3.

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