Mozambique Elections: Losing is normal, knowing how to lose a must - Nyusi
DW / Jonathan Suleimane
Jonathan Suleimane, the Renamo member who disappeared in Quelimane on May 11, reappeared in the early hours of Saturday morning (19.05), after allegedly being dumped by his supposed kidnappers in Nicoadala district.
According to Suleimane, he was kidnapped at around noon on Friday May 11 just yards from the Mozambican National Resistance provincial headquarters in Zambézia by strangers who spoke Shangana, a language of the southern region of Mozambique.
According to the victim, the kidnapping was done on ordera. “I left the delegation at 12:00 a.m. on Friday to make copies of some documents for the march we had scheduled in honour of the leader of Renamo, when suddenly strong men appeared and pushed me into their blue Toyota four-wheel drive,” he says.
“They were too strong for me I got in the car and they covered my head with a black plastic bag so I couldn’t see anything. I tried to scream, but nobody heard me because the shops around were closed. They drove off, and we travelled for more than five hours. I was held in captivity,” he said.
Saved by discord
In an interview with DW Africa, Suleimane says that it was discord among his kidnappers that led to his release.
“I kept hearing them discussing the news in Shangana. They said they were on Facebook and talked about the non-payment of the other part of the money that they were to get for the kidnapping. They communicated with their ringleader by telephone and said that they were waiting for the rest of the combined money, and that if the transfer was delayed any longer they would release me. And because of the delay, they took me from where I was [being held] and dumped me in Nicoadala district,” 30 kilometres from Quelimane.
The victim prefers not to elaborate on the kidnappers any further, so as not to undermine Zambézia CID investigations, but did say that he was not tortured.
“The injuries to my right arm were caused when they made to get me into their car. During captivity, I ate vegetables and they did not torture me. I was able to memorise the face of one of the kidnappers, I could recognise him if I saw him on the street,” he adds.
Suleimane says that he intends to continue his political activity, and that, although he received medical care at Quelimane General Hospital, his kidnapping would not intimidate him.
Nicoadala resident and Renamo supporter Amisse Cassimo considers Suleimane’s return “a rebirth”.
“For me, Jonathan’s return is like a rebirth, like someone being born again. This is the description of this situation for me. This does not intimidate us. On the contrary, we will be much stronger,” he said.
ALSO READ: Mozambique: Relatives of missing Renamo member consider abduction hypothesis
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