Africa’s Youngest Billionaire Returns Home After Kidnapping

 

The company contracted to provide security at the hotel where billionaire businessman Mohammed Dewji was abducted last week has spoken out for the first time since the incident. Read more »

By Syriacus Buguzi

Dar es Salaam — A sigh of relief has greeted the release of Africa’s youngest billionaire Mohammed Dewji , who was abducted 11 days ago and later found dumped in the wee hours of the night at the Gymkhana Club grounds in the city.

However, his disappearance and return have set tongues wagging. In a footage showing a tired-looking Mo as he is famously known, he thanked President John Magufuli and police for playing a role in his safe return.

Tanzanians from all walks of life took to social media yesterday even with more questions on the abduction and later release of Mr Dewji.

Questions surrounded the possibility of releasing him at the Gymkhana Club grounds, which are only a stone’s throw away from highly guarded areas in the city; the manner in which Mo was reportedly dumped; and, how the unknown abductors vacated.

Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi, who runs an online campaign dubbed, « Change Tanzania » says she has been intrigued by one of her followers, who wanted to know how abductors would ‘simply’ dump Dewji at a location close to State House, key government and diplomatic offices, and leave.

« How did they [the abductors] leave, by Uber (taxi)? » she wrote in Kiswahili on her twitter account.

Ms Sarungi is among several people who reacted on ‘the return’ of Mo Dewji, the 43-year-old CEO of a family conglomerate MeTL Group. Mr January Makamba, a cabinet minister responsible for Union Affairs and Environment, said he visited Mr Dewji and saw signs–on arms and legs–of how he had been cuffed and later dumped.

« I believe police would issue more details on what transpired, » he wrote on twitter, in Kiswahili.

Social media user Webiro N Wassira said: « I think the one who abducted Mo Dewji is either over-confident or not of a sound mind. How could this person abduct Mo, and dump him so close to the Vice President and Prime Minister’s offices and the headquarters of the country’s intelligence? We need to revise our security systems kama nchi [of our country]« .

Source: the Citizen