A trader kidnapped last Thursday in Maputo was released on Monday July 24 by police, who detained three men suspected of involvement in the case, a spokesman for the corporation told media on Tuesday July 25.
Mendes said the trader was in a house that served as a captive in Boane district, Maputo province. Three individuals were arrested in possession of a firearm and the vehicle allegedly used to transport the victim. “We are working to find out if these individuals are not involved in other criminal activities”, said Mr Mendes.
Earlier this month, Mozambican police arrested two South African nationals on suspicion of involvement in an attempted kidnapping of a Mozambican businessman.
Mozambique’s Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane told parliament in May that officers have already been selected to work in the unit that will combat kidnappings affecting the country’s main cities. “The first phase, already finalized”, of the creation of the anti-kidnapping unit, “consisted of the selection of agents” and the next step will be the specialization of the staff and will have the support of cooperation partners, he continued.
At the time, Maleiane said that since 2021, 28 cases of kidnapping have been registered in Mozambique, of which “15 have been fully clarified”.