Police free 19 people held over kidnapping of tycoon Mohamed Dewji

DAR ES SALAAM,

Police have released 19 of 26 people who were being held for grilling in connection to the abduction of Tanzanian tycoon Mohamed Dewji.

The 19, who include Simba Sports Club spokesperson Mr Haji Manara, were released on bail, said Dar es Special Zone Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa on Tuesday.

Their release also coincided with opposition calls for the government to allow an independent investigation in wake of rising wave of similar incidents in the country.

Chadema politicians, Mr Godbless Lema, who is also the shadow minister for Home Affairs said independent investigators would help vindicate the government over speculation it may have been behind such incidents.

“If you look carefully at the statements made by the government and the police in particular,” said the Arusha Urban member of Parliament (Chadema), “you’ll see an utter lack of seriousness on [the government’s] response on the issue at hand.”

Mr Lema, who is also his party’s Central Committee member, said he wanted the government to believe that seeking help from external investigators on such a matter of national security “is not a sign of weakness.”

Rather, he added, it shows how civil and wise the government is in doing anything possible in its possession to calm down the tension surrounding the critical issue.

Mo, 43, was abducted by unidentified gunmen in the early Thursday last week as he went for a workout at the high end Colosseum Hotel gym in Oyster Bay suburb. Police are yet to establish those behind Mo’s abduction or their motive.

On Monday, Mo’s family announced a record TSh1 billion reward to anyone who may provide information that would help find him.