A Portuguese construction industry businessman was kidnapped early this afternoon in the centre of Maputo, a source from Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) told Lusa.
“A Portuguese man was kidnapped in Maputo. He was the owner of a large construction company,” said a source from the ministry, adding that the consulate in Maputo was monitoring the situation.
The crime took place in the Sommerchield neighbourhood, on Avenida Armando Tivane, according to a police source, who confirmed the kidnapping to Lusa, leaving further details for later.
From the video surveillance images at the scene, to which Lusa had access, it is possible to see the businessman arriving at a development in the Polana neighbourhood, in the centre of the capital, driving the car alone, at around 12:00 local time (10:00 in Lisbon).
As he gets out of the car, a group of two men approach on foot and, with the support of two others who were travelling in a car that stopped at the scene, carry the victim inside, with firearms visible and at least one shot fired.
This is the second known kidnapping in Maputo in October. Still, in the previous case, which took place on 11 October, also in the centre of the capital, the victim was freed hours later, in Matola, after a police chase.
Before that, the last case in Maputo took place at the beginning of August, before the start of the electoral campaign for the general elections on 9 October.
Around 150 businesspeople have been kidnapped in Mozambique in the last 12 years, and a hundred have left the country out of fear, according to figures released in July by the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), which said that it was time for the government to say “enough is enough”.
“They’re on their way to 150. More than a hundred have left the country. We’re not talking about those who held administrative or management positions; if you count those, there are many more. We’re talking about those who held the capital. They were the companies’ shareholders,” said Pedro Baltazar, chairman of the CTA’s security and private protection department, at a press conference in Maputo.
“About 12 years have passed since the first kidnapping, and we think that’s enough time for the government to take a more pragmatic approach to putting an end to this evil. That’s why we reiterate the need for the government to accept the measures proposed by the private sector,” said the CTA leader, recognising the impact of “billions of dollars” on the country’s economy and employment.
As of March, the Mozambican police have recorded a total of 185 cases of kidnapping and at least 288 people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in this type of crime since 2011, Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda announced earlier.
Lusa
