Prominent Tanzania Businessman Mohamed Dewji has been abducted this morning in Oyster Bay as he walked into a gym, Dar es Salaam Police boss Lazurus Mambosasa has confirmed.
Mohammed Dewji is the CEO of METL, a Tanzanian conglomerate founded by his father in the 1970s.
METL is active in textile manufacturing, flour milling, beverages and edible oils in eastern, southern and central Africa.
Dewji, Tanzania’s only billionaire, signed the Giving Pledge in 2016, promising to donate at least half his fortune to philanthropic causes.
He is also the sponsor of Tanzanian Soccer giants Simba SC. He was also the first Tanzanian to be on the cover of Forbes magazine in 2016.
According to Mtanzania Digital, the 43-year-old former politician was kidnapped by unknown armed men early morning around 5.00 am.
Konondoni province police commander Jumanne Muliro has confirmed receiving the news.
“We have received the news of Simba sponsor Mo Dewji missing and we are acting on them. For now we treat them as just reports,” Muliro told Mtanzania Digital.
As per February this year, Dewji popularly known as MO, had a net worth of $1.8billion, making him the 17th richest and youngest billionaire in Africa.