Mozambican authorities recorded 17 cases of businesspeople kidnappings in Maputo City over the past year.
According to Vicente Joaquim, Secretary of State in Maputo City, who spoke on Monday during his working visit to the Police Command in the country’s capital, 13 of these kidnappings were completed, while four were thwarted.
He added that of the 17 cases recorded last year, two were resolved, and two kidnappers were arrested.
“In 2024, we recorded 17 kidnapping cases, compared to 10 in 2023. Most of the cases occurred in the Ka Mpfumu municipality, with a total of 11 cases. The measures taken, in general terms, included communication with the operational force on the ground, collection of evidence at the scene, and monitoring of efforts to clarify the cases,” he said.
Since the first kidnapping case was recorded 12 years ago in Mozambique, 100 businesspeople, mostly of Asian origin, have left the country. According to the Strategic Analysis Report (RAE), published by Mozambique’s Financial Intelligence Office (GIFiM), the wave of kidnappings has generated more than $33 million in money laundering since 2014.
The Confederation of Business Associations of Mozambique (CTA) points out that most kidnapping cases remain unresolved, although authorities claim to have identified some masterminds.
Joaquim also stated that in 2024, significant security actions were carried out to combat 8,070 various crimes, compared to 8,825 in 2023, representing a reduction of 755 cases (8.55 percent).
“Of these cases, 7,487 were resolved, equivalent to 92.7 percent of police activity. Regarding domestic violence, 1,958 cases were recorded, compared to 1,937 in 2023, representing an increase of 21 cases, equivalent to one percent,” he noted.
Source: AIM
