PGR says majority of kidnappings in Mozambique are planned abroad

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PGR says majority of kidnappings in Mozambique are planned abroad

4:22 CAT | 24 Apr 2024

File photo: Noticias

The majority of kidnappings committed in Mozambique are orchestrated outside the country, making it difficult to combat this type of crime, according to the annual report from the Attorney General of the Republic, which is being presented today in parliament.

“One of the biggest challenges in combating [kidnappings] is the fact that a large part of the preparation for the execution of the crime and the payment of ransom occurs outside the country,” according to the information provided today by Beatriz Buchili in the Assembly of the Republic.

The majority of the masterminds reside in South Africa, as stated in the document.

“Therefore, the investigation and prosecution necessarily require the use of mechanisms of international legal and judicial cooperation, involving countries with objective or subjective connections to the crime, for mutual legal assistance, extradition, or information sharing,” says the report from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).

In the annual report, it is acknowledged that “legal and judicial cooperation with South Africa, a neighboring and brotherly country, has not reached the necessary levels to combat this type of crime, which affects both countries.”

The PGR emphasizes that 20 requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance have been submitted for over a year, including from identified kidnapping masterminds, but Mozambique has not received a response.

The ongoing efforts to sign an extradition agreement between Mozambique and South Africa, aimed at enhancing cooperation in the fight against organized crime, are highlighted in the report.

The report points out that in 2023, seven kidnapping cases were opened, a decrease of 53.3% compared to the previous year, when 15 were recorded.

Charges were filed in 12 cases, and five were archived, with nine carrying over to this year, as stated in the document.

The Attorney General of the Republic of Mozambique is presenting today and Thursday the annual information on the activity of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for 2023.

The presentation will be followed by questions from deputies, followed by responses from the chief magistrate of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Source: Lusa