The National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic), in Maputo City, presented, this Tuesday, two citizens suspected of being involved in kidnapping crimes.

These are two Mozambican individuals, aged 42 and 45, who were arrested following the screening of kidnappings that took place last year, according to the corporation.

"The two individuals were made defendants and arrested under arrest warrant for involvement in the kidnapping crimes that occurred last year, specifically on April 11, 13 and 26, October 7 and December 22," explained Sernic spokesman Hilario Lole.

These are two kidnappings that occurred in the Alto-Maé neighborhood, one at the Portuguese Consulate, another at the Eduardo Mondlane University Campus, and the last one near the Parish of Santo António da Polana, in Maputo city.

What's more, the two citizens were already wanted for the crimes of vehicle theft and burglary.

"The vehicles were stolen in South Africa and sold in various regions in southern Africa," he said.

He mentioned that there is also a police record in five cases about his involvement in various legal types of crime.

He assured that at this time, diligence is continuing to neutralize the principals already identificated and bring them to their criminal accountability for committing these acts.

The source appealed to the society to continue to cooperate with the justice entities in reporting any crime or other actions.

However, the detainees deny their participation in the acts they are accused of.

"I'm not involved in any group connected to kidnappings. They came to get me at home claiming that I'm kidnapping, but I don't know anything about that," one of the indictees defended himself.

The other alleged kidnapper also denies his involvement in the kidnapping case, but confirms he is a buyer of stolen vehicles in neighboring South Africa.

"I don't know about the kidnappings, because even on the date that one of the cases they accuse me of occurred I was in South Africa to acquire vehicles. I am a seller of stolen cars, yes, but not a kidnapper," he assumed.