Pretoria - Alleged kidnapping kingpin, Esmael Ramos Nangy, has been denied bail and will remain in a South African jail as the courts preside on an extradition application brought by the government of Mozambique.
Nangy, who is wanted by the Mozambican government in connection with crimes including kidnappings, sought release on bail when he appeared in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court.
“The South African authorities received a request for the provisional arrest of Nangy on July 13 2022, from the requesting state in Mozambique, following its indictment against Nangy on charges of kidnapping and criminal association,” said Phindi Mjonondwane, Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
A warrant of arrest was executed in Pretoria on January 7, and Nangy made his first appearance in court on January 9.
After his arrest in Gauteng, South African authorities received a formal request for Nangy’s extradition on February 2.
“Nangy approached the court with a formal application to be released on bail, pending the outcome of the extradition hearing. In his application, he cited that he runs a transport business that would be negatively impacted by his continued incarceration,” said Mjonondwane.
“Senior State advocate Michelle Bayat presented evidence by way of an affidavit of the investigating officer, Kabelo Derrick Seanego, in opposing his release on bail, citing that Nangy was a flight risk.”
Bayat said that if convicted in Mozambique, Nangy faces jail time ranging from 16 to 20 years for kidnapping, and eight to 12 years for criminal association. Such long sentences, Bayat submitted, were incentive enough for Nangy to evade the extradition hearing.
“The affidavit further details the discrepancies on his passport when compared to the border control movements on the Department of Home Affairs system, in that the stamps on his passport did not tally with the number of movements captured on the system,” said Mjonondwane.
“The State further argued that his release on bail would undermine the proper administration of justice.”
In the end, Magistrate Karin Britz ruled that the interest of justice does not permit for the release of Nangy on bail, and postponed the case to April 12.
The postponement gives time for the State to file its extradition documents.
In January, the SAPS said that during the arrest, Nangy was found in possession of a a 9mm licensed firearm, 14 9mm cartridges, five cellphones, multiple bank cards for South African banks as well as multiple SA and Mozambican SIM cards.
At the time, SAPS national spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said the 50-year-old was arrested at an upmarket estate in Centurion.
Mathe said the extradition processes would “immediately commence”.
The suspect was arrested in connection with abduction cases where ransom demands were made in Mozambique.
IOL