South Africa: Case of alleged Mozambican kidnapping kingpin postponed to 16 January – Watch

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South Africa: Case of alleged Mozambican kidnapping kingpin postponed to 16 January – Watch

5:52 CAT | 09 Jan 2023

Screen grab: SABC News

An alleged kidnapping kingpin arrested over the weekend in Centurion, Pretoria, has been remanded in custody until next week.

Esmael Malude Ramos Nangy, a Mozambican national, was arested on Saturday evening after police and Interpol pounced on his home at the upmarket Midstream Estate.

The multidisciplinary police team was acting on a warrant of arrest and an extradition request by the government of Mozambique in 2022.

The 50-year-old suspect was found in possession of a 9mm licensed firearm, fourteen 9mm cartridges, five cell phones, multiple bank cards for South African banks as well as multiple SA and Mozambican sim cards that were seized by police.

He is alleged to be linked to multiple kidnappings in South Africa and Mozambique. The ransom demands allegedly came from Mozambique.

Nangy on Monday appeared briefly in the Thembisa Magistrate’s Court where there was a heavy police contingent deployed in court.

The media was not allowed to take photographs of him.

His extradition case was postponed to 16 January 2023, to allow the State to receive instructions from the director of public prosecutions and complete the extradition process with Mozambican authorities.

The State indicated that it intended to oppose the suspect’s bail application due to the seriousness of the charges against him.

Suspect to plead not guilty

Speaking to the media outside court, Nangy’s attorney, Calvin Maile, said his client would plead not guilty to the kidnapping charges against him.

Maile said Nangy was a well-respected transport businessman in SA and Mozambique.

He added his client had been living in SA since 2016 with his wife and two children and had no previous convictions or pending cases.

“He does not know where all the allegations come from and we also waiting to hear the facts and what evidence the State is relying on,” said Maile.

Maile affirmed that his client, who according to him is a transport businessman operating between South Africa and Mozambique, is not on the run but has permanent residency in South Africa.

“He’s been in South Africa for some time. He is a property owner in South Africa. He acquired a property in 2016 and is a permanent resident in this country … [also] he was in Mozambique just a while ago,” Maile said.

Nangy has been remanded in police custody and is expected back in court on Monday.

Watch the videos below for more details.