The National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) has dismantled a luxury residence in the city of Matola that was used as captivity for victims of kidnappings in Maputo.

This "luxury prison" is located in the condominium Tchumene 1, which is next to a police station.

The operations carried out by SERNIC that led to the identification of the almost uninhabited residence, which had been adapted to receive kidnapped prisoners, have now culminated in the arrest of a 38-year-old man. Tools were found on the premises to abuse the victims, such as nails, a hammer, a padlock and chains.

The detained citizen, allegedly the gang's logistician, says he only had agreements with the owner of the residence. "I played the role assigned to me".

The same one-storey house, with a swimming pool and an outbuilding, was used as the captive of a businessman who was kidnapped on June 26 in downtown Maputo. The victim escaped through a window after the kidnappers left the place fearing a SERNIC ambush.

According to the SERNIC spokesman, the victim of the kidnapping, which took place in the Polana Cimento "A" neighborhood, Maputo city, was being transported to that same captivity.

The corporation says it has already identified the kidnappers from the crimes of June 26 (downtown), July 20 (Alto Maé) and July 22 (Museu), all in Maputo city.

"We have precise information about the people who ordered these kidnappings and some of the people who carried them out. We have some movements in and out of these individuals because they come from South Africa. The perpetrators of the kidnappings that took place on Saturday, as well as late yesterday. They've already been here in the country for about a week. One of them returned yesterday, just after this individual was neutralized," said Lole.

The SERNIC spokesman assured that further investigations are underway to identify the owner of the "luxury captivity".