Six Billionaires Have Been Kidnapped in Africa So Far this Year

Tanzania: Mohammed Dewji, 43, Africa’s youngest billionaire, was recently kidnapped and then returned 9 days later – it is unknown if ransom was paid for his return.  Dewji runs the METL group, which is a family business that trades in agriculture, manufacturing, energy and petroleum. He was ambushed and abducted in the early morning on his way to the gym without body guards. Regional media reported the abductors were “Two white men and others” who were likely foreigners. There is no further news on his health or a ransom demand. Africa is a hotbed for kidnappings for ransom of wealthy businessmen, with most of the crimes taking place in South Africa.

Africa’s youngest billionaire was kidnapped in a shocking early morning assault in the streets of Tanzania outside of an affluent hotel Thursday morning in what appeared to have been a carefully planned abduction.

Tanzanian police remain on high alert and are reportedly scouring the country for 43-year old mogul Mohammed Dewji  who runs the METL group, a family business that operates across six African countries in diverse industries as trading, agriculture, manufacturing, energy and petroleum, and financial services, among others.

Dewji was reported by the Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation as walking into the Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club in Oyster Bay in Dar es Salaam, the country’s capital, for his routine gym session during the early morning hours, when two white men and an unknown number of others in two cars sped up to the front of hotel, fired weapons into the air, and nabbed him and quickly drove away.

Africa’s youngest billionaire, Tanzanian tycoon Mohammed Dewji. He’s worth an estimated $1.5 billion.

The abduction happend around 6:30am local time, according to police, and was brazen yet apparently well planned given the public, high profile and somewhat busy nature of the location. Police and regional media described the abductors as likely foreign nationals.

CNN described the official police account as follows:

They drove into the hotel and opened fire before bundling Dewji into a car and speeding off, said Dar es Salaam regional police commissioner Lazaro Mambosaso.

“They came in a car to the hotel and started shooting in the air before they took him away. We are questioning the staff who were on duty at the time,” the commissioner said.

Read full article here…

Additional Source:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/20/africa/tanzania-mohammed-dewji-returns-home/index.html