Mohammed Dewji: Africa’s ‘youngest billionaire’ abducted in Tanzania

Tanzanian billionaire, Mohammed Dewji, who is also the youngest billionaire in Africa, was kidnapped in Dar es Salaam, the country’s capital.

Mr Mohammed Dewji popularly known as ‘Mo’ was kidnapped by unknown people early Thursday morning as he went for his routine gym session at Oyster Bay in Dar es Salaam.

Reports from the scene suggest two white men and an unknown number of accomplices in two cars waylaid the prominent businessman as he walked into the exclusive Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club, where he is a member.

It has not been established why the businessman, 43, was abducted.

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa said that the country’s security personnel had been on full alert in the hunt for the kidnappers. He also asked members of the public to support any information that could help trace the kidnappers.

Dewji is now one of the key players in private sector development in Tanzania, well known for being a leader in local employment and manufacturing in East and Central Africa. Its group, the METL group, operates in more than 35 sectors as diverse as trade, agriculture, manufacturing, energy and oil, financial services, mobile telephony, infrastructure and real estate, transport, logistics and distribution. According to Forbes magazine, he has a net worth of $ 1.5 billion.