South African businessman Zunaid Moti, who has been locked up in a prison in Munich, Germany, for two months after he was arrested on the strength of an international warrant of arrest, could walk free as the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) says he is not of interest to them.
by XOLISANI NCUBE
A statement issued by the Interpol secretary-general yesterday said Moti was not subject to any notices.
“The general secretariat of the international criminal police organisation hereby certifies that as of today Zunaid Abbas Moti, born on 03 September 1974, is not subject to Interpol notice or diffusion,” said the statement.
Moti was arrested at Munich airport on August 19 when he was leaving Germany after a business trip.
Moti has interests in mining, finance and logistics in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and counts the likes of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and British peer Peter Hain among his friends.
According to Zunaid Moti’s father, Abbas Moti, his son was facing extradition to Russia to face criminal charges. The arrest was connected to a “red notice” after a complaint was lodged against him by Russian businessman Alibek Issaev.
Issaev claimed that Zunaid and his associates, including Abbas, defrauded him of R6,6 million in a sham mining deal in Lebanon in 2013.
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But Zunaid has consistently denied having been to Lebanon and claims that Issaev instead stole intellectual property and a R500 million pink diamond from him.
