Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambican police have detained two men suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of a Portuguese businessman on 7th October in Maputo, the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) announced on Monday, adding that it hopes to locate the victim soon.
“We want to confirm the detention of two nationals, aged between 30 and 46,” João Adriano, SERNIC spokesman in Maputo, said yesterday at a press conference, presenting the two suspects to journalists.
The case involves the kidnapping of the 69-year-old Portuguese businessman, who also has Mozambican nationality, in downtown Maputo, in front of his commercial establishment, by a group travelling in a white vehicle without a number plate, the first case of its kind publicly known since June.
The spokesperson assured that the investigation is progressing “rapidly” towards solving the crime and reiterated that the “greatest need” now is to bring the victim back to his family: “Based on the results obtained, we are aware that we will soon invite the press to announce the location.”
According to João Adriano, the suspects, who are part of a group of eight people involved in the kidnapping, were detained along National Highway Number 4 (N4), in the district of Moamba, in the province of Maputo, in the south of the country, while travelling in one of the vehicles used during the crime.
“These individuals were detained in flagrante delicto. They were transporting this vehicle to South Africa, and our understanding is that they undoubtedly wanted to burn the evidence, to get rid of it, which is probably to hinder the investigation,” he explained, adding that the second car used in the crime is also in the neighbouring country.
Adriano also pointed out that the number plate used during the kidnapping was found inside the vehicle: “On that day, this vehicle had a certain national number plate, and it was that number plate that was found inside that vehicle.”
With the two suspects in custody, the Mozambican police say they are working to capture the others involved, one of whom has already been identified and has an arrest warrant out for him.
“We have identified [the suspect], but we cannot reveal this here. However, SERNIC is working to locate him and he will soon be brought here for everyone to see and, perhaps, to be held accountable in court,” he said.
On the 22nd of October, Mozambican Interior Minister Paulo Chachine assured that “very intense and thorough” work was being done to investigate the kidnapping of the Portuguese citizen, the sixth kidnapping this year.
“The investigation is ongoing, it is a process. Very intensive, very thorough work is being carried out by the Police of the Republic of Mozambique [PRM] and the National Criminal Investigation Service, with a view to clarifying this case,” said Paulo Chachine, on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony for new PRM commissioners in Maputo.
The Mozambican government said on the 7th October, that it had been informed of the businessman’s abduction and was awaiting action by the police forces, but highlighted the progress made in controlling this type of crime in the country.
This is the first publicly known case since 21 June, when a Lebanese citizen, the owner of a pharmacy, was abducted from his shop in central Maputo.
From 2011 to March 2024, the Mozambican police recorded a total of 185 kidnappings and at least 288 people detained on suspicion of involvement in this type of crime, according to the latest data released by the ministry of the interior.
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