Killer allegedly running kidnapping network from jail

Evidence suggests that Momade Assife ‘Nini’ Satar, jailed in Mozambique for murder, is behind some of SA’s major ransom kidnappings, with his trusted lieutenants carrying out the crimes, according to a TimesLIVE exposé. Satar is serving a 24-year prison sentence for the 2000 murder of Mozambican journalist Carlos Cardoso, who exposed his involvement in a Commercial Bank of Mozambique scandal. TimesLIVE says its revelations stem from interviews with Mozambican and SAPS sources, friends and family of the victims, classified state security documents and international police dockets. Satar’s lawyer, Mutola Esova, denies the claims, describing them as ‘social media gossip’. According to Mozambican intelligence documents, it’s from his cell in Maputo’s infamous BO maximum security prison that Mozambican and South African police believe Satar has, since 2012, been building his kidnapping empire, one that has forced many of that country’s business elite to flee to SA. The exodus saw Satar, who allegedly recruited foot soldiers from among his fellow inmates, turn his alleged syndicate’s sights to SA and its uber-wealthy local and international business community. Among Satar’s alleged ‘most trusted lieutenants’ are Esmail Nangy, Edson Vombe and Mahomed Bakhir Ayoob. South African and Mozambican police sources say the three fugitives, who fled to this country between 2013 and 2017, allegedly helped spawn SA’s ransom kidnappings boom. SA Police Service crime intelligence sources say they are dubbed ‘The Mozambicans’.

Vombe, Nangy and Ayoob were controlled from prison by Satar, according to senior officials from the Mozambican Attorney-General’s Central Office for the Fight Against Organised and Transnational Crime. Escova, however, dismissed their claims. A senior member of the anti-corruption body said Nangy was wanted in Mozambique on kidnapping, racketeering and money laundering charges. Nangy was arrested in a joint SAPS Interpol operation at his luxury Centurion home in January, reports TimesLIVE. He has been denied bail by the Tembisa Magistrate's Court pending the outcome of his extradition hearing. The charges relate to the kidnapping of millionaire and hotelier Ahmed Anwar on 30 June 2022 in Maputo. A $3m ransom was paid for Anwar who was then released. Documents presented by Interpol officers during Nangy’s bail proceedings in February state he is also a person of interest in Mbombela businesswoman Gita Samgi’s murder in 2020. She was kidnapped and tortured. Arguing against Nangy's bail application, Interpol said ‘kidnappings for ransoms have become the norm in both Mozambique and SA.’ A senior Interpol member said: ‘We are currently investigating strong links between Satar and Nangy and Vombe, who have seemingly taken over the day-to-day running of Satar’s operations in SA and Mozambique.’ He said kidnappings had exploded in SA, with information indicating Nangy was primarily behind the spread.

Full TimesLIVE report