Maputo, 17 Jan (AIM) – Intervention by passers-by aborted an attempt to kidnap a businessman in central Maputo at around midday on Tuesday.
An eye-witness, named Muguitsi Carlos, told AIM that the intended kidnap victim was the owner of the furniture shop “Caso Momade”. He was intercepted by the kidnappers as he was leaving a local mosque and heading back to his shop.
Carlos saw the kidnappers grab their victim by the neck, “and he shouted for help. That was then they pulled out their guns”.
They tried to drag the businessman to their car, but he resisted, and members of the public began throwing stones at the kidnappers and their vehicle.
The criminals opened fire and shot both their victim and a worker for the M-pesa mobile money company who went to his aid. “There were five shots”, said Carlos, “one to the ground, one into the crowd, two at the Indian (the shopkeeper), and one at the M-pesa worker”.
With their kidnap attempt frustrated, the criminals made their escape, dropping an ammunition clip as they ran. A competent police force should have little difficulty in capturing the gang, since one of the stones thrown at them shattered a window in the escape vehicle.
The man who claimed responsibility for breaking the window told reporters “suddenly we began to hear cries for help. I grabbed a bottle and threw it at the criminals, smashing a window of their car. The public was alerted and threw more stones and bottles”.
Eye-witnesses, cited by the independent newssheet “Mediafax”, said the kidnap gang consisted of three or four individuals armed with pistols and with an AK47 assault rifle.
They said everything was done to alert the police, and a motorized police patrol was about 200 metres from the scene of the crime. But the police did nothing to intercept the kidnappers, and only the angry members of the public hindered their escape.
Citizens cited by “Mediafax” said they found it strange that the police did nothing to block the escape route of the kidnappers’ car, a Toyota Ractis.
The ineffectiveness of the police once again raises suspicions that organized crime has infiltrated the police force.
The businessman and the M-pesa worker were taken to hospital for medical treatment. The police confirmed the incident and promised to give more details on Wednesday.
(AIM)
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