Cops capture African kingpin

A Mozambique national on Interpol’s red list and wanted in his own country for numerous crimes has been arrested by tourist police in Bangkok.

Tourist Police Bureau deputy commissioner Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn told a press briefing yesterday that the man has been identified as Momade Assif Abdul Satar.

Mr Abdul Satar is wanted in his southern African home country for many crimes including abduction for ransom, murder and illegal arms possession.

Mozambique had been coordinating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States and Interpol offices in Africa and other regions worldwide to secure his arrest.

A police investigation revealed the suspect had entered the country with a fake passport under the name of Sahime Mohammad Aslam.

On July 25, tourist police arrested him at the Marriott Hotel in Soi Sukhumvit 57 in Bangkok. He could not show his passport when asked by police, and his appearance matched that of Momade Assif Abdul Satar as shown in Interpol’s red notice.

The fingerprints of the Mozambique man were sent to the Forensic Medicine Institute for examination, and it was confirmed he is Momade Assif Abdul Satar. Further investigation revealed he has been in Thailand for three years. The man has been initially charged with violating the Immigration Act and had his entry visa revoked.

According to Pol Maj Gen Surachate, Mozambique authorities confirmed that since fleeing his country three years ago, the man had continued to commit crimes by ordering his underworld associates to abduct people in Mozambique and other African countries for ransom on more than 50 occasions.

In each abduction, his men demanded a ransom of about 100 million baht or the victim would be killed. Two of those kidnapped were murdered. The man had also killed a number of officials handling cases against his gang. In one of the cases, a prosecutor who indicted him in court was shot 16 times in the head.

Pol Maj Gen Surachate said he would be permanently banned from re-entering Thailand.

He said the man had offered a bribe to the police when he was arrested. The suspect will be deported to Mozambique next week.

APICHIT JINAKUL Momade Assif Abdul Satar, a Mozambique national wanted for violent crimes in his home country, is pending deportation following his arrest last week by Thai authorities in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area. He entered the country under the false name of Sahime...