Maputo — Extradition proceedings began against alleged kidnapping mastermind Esmael (Rico) Nangy, on Monday, in the magistrate's court at Tembisa, in South Africa, but were quickly adjourned until 16 January.
The prosecution opposed granting any bail for Nangy, because of the seriousness of the accusations he is facing.
The court was told that the Mozambican authorities issued a warrant for Nangy's arrest on 18 July last year. The delay in the court hearing will allow the South African prosecutors to coordinate the extradition proceedings with their Mozambican counterparts.
Apparently, the prosecutor dealing with the case has not received from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions details of the charges against Nandy.
Nangy's lawyer, Calvin Maille, protested his client's innocence. He told reporters that Nangy is a well-known businessman in the transport area and has permanent South African resident status. He has no criminal record, said Maille, and is not a suspect in any other cases.
"He purchased a property in South Africa in 2016, and is a permanent resident in this country", he added.
A police source in Maputo, cited in Tuesday's issue of the independent newssheet "Carta de Mocambique", said that Nangy is a suspect in a kidnapping case that occurred in Maputo last year. A vehicle owned by Nangy was seized because of its similarity with a vehicle caught on surveillance cameras at the site of the kidnapping. Since then, a driver and a mechanic employed by Nangy have been under police custody in Maputo.
A source in Nangy's family told reporters he will fight against extradition to Maputo. This source said the firearm found in Nangy's possession is properly licensed, and that the various mobile phones seized by the police belong to his children.
Pf/ (294) 29123E COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BANKS AND DOCUMENT ISSUERS IS KEY TO BOOST DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES
Maputo, 10 Jan (AIM) - The Governor of the Bank of Mozambique, Rogério Zandamela, believes that the interoperability of financial services, as well as strategic communication between banks and the State entities that issue documents, are fundamental mechanisms to boost the use of digital financial services in Mozambique.
Zandamela, who was speaking in an interview published recently in the Bank of Mozambique's magazine on Financial Inclusion, also said banks must know their customers properly and know how to fight against money laundering in order to boost the use of digital financial services in the country.
"The National Financial Inclusion Strategy (2016 -2022) established the need to ensure effective interoperability between financial system institutions operating in the domestic market", the governor said.
According to Zandamela, the services offered by electronic money institutions have been gaining space in Mozambique, although electronic payments have been hindered by the lack of interconnection of the operators of banking institutions.
"This means that clients of each operator could not send money to numbers of other operators, nor receive from them. This situation reduced by half electronic payment use and greatly affected the use of financial services by the majority of the population", Zandamela claimed.
With interoperability, he said. one of the objectives of financial inclusion was achieved, which was to bring the low income population, in the rural areas, into the formal system for stimulating electronic payments.
Taking into account the growth of electronic payments, the Mozambican banking sector, in 2022, recorded profits of around 13.1 billion meticais (about 205 million dollars, at the current exchange rate).
This is an increase of 2.2 billion meticais when compared to the same period in 2021.
Ad/pf (290) 30123E YOUTH MUST BE IN VANGUARD OF DEFENDING SOVEREIGNTY
Malema (Mozambique), 10 Jan (AIM) - Mozambican Defence Minister Cristovao Chume on Monday challenged young Mozambicans to take up their positions in the vanguard of defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He was speaking in Malema district, in the northern province of Nampula, at the ceremony that formally opened the 2023 registration for military service. All Mozambicans are legally obliged to register for military service in the year of their 18th birthday. The registration period lasts until 28 February.
"You are the continuity of this nation, like the generations that preceded you", Chume told the youth of Nampula. "So accept that you are in the vanguard of this process".
He stressed that the defence of Mozambique is, in the first instance, the responsibility of Mozambicans. "Do not expect that citizens of other countries will come here to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, because this country is ours", he declared.
Chume warned against "mortgaging the future of our motherland, whose independence was achieved with so much sacrifice".
He urged parents, local authorities, religious bodies and educational institutions to act as agents of civic and patriotic education, and to mobilise young people to register for military service.
Chume said that, since 2017, the northern province of Cabo Delgado has been the victim of terrorist attacks. He praised young Mozambicans, from across the country, who have given their best efforts to defend Mozambique.
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"I give my full recognition to these heroic youths who are fighting for the pacification of our country", he declared.
Chume said he had arrived from the Northern Operational Theatre (i.e. Cabo Delgado), and was carrying a message from the young soldiers stationed there, which he read out to the ceremony. "The country is ours", the message said. "Do not allow terrorism to spread. Let us protect our families. Let us come together as one people to eradicate this evil because together we are stronger".
The message concluded by urging all those eligible to register for military service "to strengthen the military component of national defence".
Chume took the opportunity to call for "redoubled vigilance among our communities towards any kind of suspicious behaviour. Normally, the terrorists live among us. They can be our neighbours, our relatives, and even appear to be our friends".
The target set by the Defence Ministry for the 2023 military registration campaign is 221,141 - which compares with 220,000 registered last year. But, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), based on projections from the 2017 population census, over 680,000 Mozambicans celebrate their 18th birthday this year.
