Maputo, 27 Feb (AIM) – Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) has arrested two Mozambican nationals, in Maputo city, for allegedly involvement in two kidnappings of business people.
One case concerns a kidnapping that took place last January, in which a businessman, who owns the warehouses Armazéns Atlântico Comercial, was the victim and is still being held captive. The second case concerns the kidnapping of a businessman’s wife, which took place in November 2023, and the victim has already been released.
According to SERNIC spokesperson Hilário Lole, who was speaking to reporters on Monday, in Maputo, the arrest was made possible thanks to the investigations carried out by the authorities to shed light on the kidnappings that, since 2011, have been plaguing businesspeople and their families, especially in Maputo and the central city of Beira.
“When these individuals were neutralized or arrested, it was possible to find, from the searches that were carried out at their homes, two number plates with an inscription that directed us to a vehicle that had been used for the kidnapping on 1 November 2023”, he said.
Lole explained that the victim was a woman who was rescued 50 days after the kidnapping, on 21 December.
“After finding the registration plates, it became clear that they were involved in the kidnapping, and they also confessed to their part in the crime”, he said “Work is continuing to arrest their accomplices”.
According to Lole, the arrest of the two suspects was possible thanks to the collaboration of an individual who is also being held in connection with the same crime.
“SERNIC, in Maputo, carried out work that culminated in the neutralization of an individual who, after careful work, with the information in our possession, ended up confirming his participation. We are continuing investigating to neutralize more individuals who may have taken part in this kidnapping”, he said.
“It was possible to neutralize these two individuals, one of whom was arrested on 17 February, and the other last Thursday”, said Lole.
As is usual in such cases, the suspects have denied all the accusations against them.
“It’s really bad luck for me, I didn’t expect it, I have never been involved in any crime, I don’t have much to say, people are involving me in things I don’t know anything about”, said one of the suspects (whose name was not released).
The second man said “I have no involvement in the kidnapping. On 3 November I wasn’t here, I was in South Africa. I’m not involved in these things.”
(AIM)
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