Hijackers use bank accounts abroad

An investigation conducted by the “Carta” reveals that the assaults, kidnappings and murders, which are carried out in broad daylight, involve, some of them, members of the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), police officers of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) , businessmen, politicians, prisoners and even Mozambicans based in foreign countries. According to the “CARTA” source, involved in the investigations, the subject is complex and generates millions of US dollars annually. In fact, the source confided to us that businessman and philanthropist Rizwan Adatia decided to leave the country, due to the extortion he was being targeted. 

Remember, Adatia was kidnapped on the 30th of April and released on the 20th of May, in an operation carried out with the presence of journalists and with the Director of SERNIC traveling to the “operational theater” in high heels . However, the source said that, even after his supposed release, the businessman continued to pay large sums to the kidnappers, which led to his family leaving and leaving the country for security reasons.  The source also said that organized crime will only be overcome if there is political will, as influential people earn a living through crime. Without mentioning the names of police officers, SERNIC, politicians and other facilitators of criminal actions, the source explained that there are several networks commanded in different locations, a fact that allows them to coordinate and determine the targets to kidnap, extort and even murder. 

The investigator told the "Carta" that the situation is becoming so critical because the Government does not want to acquire some technological equipment that allows to track and investigate even conversations exchanged on the WhatsApp social network, even if they use Wi-Fi. Our source also ensured that a large part of the bank accounts, into which the amounts are channeled, are domiciled abroad, which makes it difficult to track them. In fact, PRM Commander-General Bernardino Rafael said last weekend that the hijackers have been receiving the ransom amounts in bank accounts opened abroad.

This year, remember, seven kidnappings have already taken place, and Kauchal Pandia, son of the owner of Casa Pandia - a shop selling capulanas - is still in captivity, despite the fact that the family reveals that they have paid “rivers of money”. The cities of Maputo and Matola have been epicenters of the abductions, although there are cases recorded in the cities of Beira (Sofala) and Chimoio (Manica). This Wednesday, SERNIC, at the level of Maputo province, presented an alleged group of armed robbers who, according to Elvino Panguana, spokesman for SERNIC, was preparing, in this part of the country, to assault a South American businessman. African in Ponta D'Ouro, Matutuine district, allegedly because the victim has a safe at home with values ​​in different foreign currencies.

Panguana said, moreover, that one of the group's members is a citizen who supplied arms to the kidnappers of businessman Rizwan Adatia. He also added that the group had been in Moamba for days, where he assaulted a citizen on the public road. In fact, the arrests have been frequent, but the investigations never reach the principals. As one of the biggest evidences that organized crime controls the country, the source pointed to the shooting of CTA President Agostinho Vuma, shot in the light of day in one of the busiest avenues in the country's capital and where there are State institutions manned by the Police . (Omardine Omar)