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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
The trial of five suspected hit men based in South Africa, who were allegedly hired to kidnap and assault a local businessman who had been defrauded of US$800 000 in a botched gas tanks deal by Obrian Mapurisa, continued this week with the State submitting more evidence.
The suspects are Moses Monde of Johannesburg, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, who are based in Cape Town. They are charged with assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu led evidence from the police arresting and investigating officer Detective Assistant Inspector Tirivangani Madhibha, who told the court that during his investigation, he was handed two phones, a Hi-sense and Samsung Galaxy belonging to Monde and Manzinde by the arresting team.
“The phones were used to communicate with the mastermind Mapurisa. I later made them sign seizure forms which they did,” said Det Asst Insp Madhibha. The State applied for tendering as exhibits the seizure forms and the cellphones, but defence lawyer Mr Moffat Makuvatsine objected on the basis that the exact person who seized the phones was unknown.
Presiding magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje, however, ruled that the court would allow the tendering of the exhibits and reserve the ruling until all the evidence was before the court.
According to him, he managed to retrieve information which showed that the accused persons were talking to Mapurisa.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter