The youngest billionaire is Africa, Mohammed Dewji, has been abducted by unknown men in front of a hotel in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. AFP reports.
Officials said that the young billionaire was taken by gunmen as he was entering the gym of a hotel in the city.
43 Year old Mohammed Dewji, leads the MeTL group, a Tanzanian conglomerate which has business interests in the food and agricultural industry.
The MeTL group which operates in about 10 African countries also do business in insurance, transport and logistics.
Dar es Salaam police chief Lazaro Mambosasa, during a press conference confirmed the incident and implied a possible involvement of foreigners.
He noted that the gunmen shot into the air presumably to scare passersby before forcing Dewji into their car.
Regional governor Paul Makonda also confirming the involvement of foreigners, told journalists that..
“Initial information indicates he was kidnapped by whites travelling in two vehicles,”
“this kind of incident is new here”. He added.
Although the motive behind his kidnap is still unknown, three people have been arrested and two of the abductors were believed to be foreign nationals, police added.
Dewji was born in Tanzania but studied in the U.S. He served in the Tanzanian parliament between 2005 and 2015.
Forbes Magazine puts his wealth at $1.5bn (£980m), and Dewji is said to be Tanzania’s only billionaire.
Mr Dewji was also confirmed by Forbes in a 2017 report, as Africa’s youngest billionaire.
He is also a major stakeholder in Simba FC, one of Tanzania’s biggest football teams.
