Maputo — The Mozambican police have shot dead one alleged kidnapper and injured another in an exchange of gunfire, according to a Tuesday press release from the General Command of the police, summarizing the main crimes detected over the past week.

The two men were suspected of involvement in the kidnapping, on 20 November, of the financial director of the Afrin Hotel, a Pakistani national, named by the police only as Amir. The release says Amir was released in the early morning of 21 November, in the Maputo neighbourhood of Laulane, when the kidnappers realised that the police were closing in on them.

In the shoot-out, the kidnappers, armed with pistols, tried unsuccessfully to grapple with police officers and seize one of their AK-47 assault rifles. Two of the gang were hit, one of whom died in the journey to hospital. Three others escaped.

In Bilene district, in the southern province of Gaza, the police arrested a 29 year old man, named as Moiane, driving a Mitsubishi carrying three head of stolen cattle. The animals had been stolen from a farmer in Chibuto district on 20 November.

In Govuro district, in Inhambane province, in an operation against poachers, the police seized three hunting guns.

Illegal firearms were seized in several other incidents during the week.

Thus a man named only as Isac was arrested in Maputo for the illegal possession of a Star pistol. In Infulene, in the southern city of Matola, the police seized a pistol and a hunting gun. No mention was made of any arrests.

In Gondola district, in the central province of Manica, a 25 year old man named as Armando was arrested for illegal possession of a G-3 rifle. In Zambezia, the police arrested two young men, named as Manuel and Marcelino, for possession of a Beretta pistol.

No exact dates were given for these incidents.