The Portuguese businessman kidnapped on October 7 in central Maputo was released on Tuesday and is already at home, a family source told Lusa today.
The businessman, 69, who also holds Mozambican nationality, was released on Tuesday and is at his residence in the Mozambican capital, the source said, without providing further details. Contacted by Lusa, a source at Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) said it was still gathering information on the case.
The businessman was kidnapped in downtown Maputo, in front of his commercial premises, by a group travelling in a white, unplated vehicle — the first publicly known case of its kind since June 2025 in Mozambique.
On January 26, the victim’s family launched a public petition expressing “deep concern” over his disappearance, with no clear public information on his whereabouts or any conclusive investigative progress, and calling for the support of the Portuguese Judicial Police.
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Sernic announced on October 7 the detention of two men suspected of involvement in the kidnapping. “We want to confirm the detention of two nationals, aged between 30 and 46,” said Sernic spokesman João Adriano at a press conference in Maputo, presenting the two suspects to journalists. He said the investigation was progressing “in leaps and bounds” and reiterated that the “greatest need” was to bring the victim back to his family: “Based on the results obtained, we are confident that shortly we will invite the press to speak about the victim’s location.”
According to Adriano, the suspects — part of a group of eight people involved in the kidnapping — were detained on national road 4 (N4) in the Moamba district of Maputo province, in the south of the country, while being transported in one of the vehicles used during the crime.
