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Zvikomborero Parafini
THE trial of five suspected hitmen, who were allegedly hired to assassinate a businessman, failed to get underway as planned yesterday because their lawyer was engaged in the superior courts.
Moses Monde of Johannesburg, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, who are based in Cape Town, appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje, who remanded the matter to July 29 for possible trial commencement.
The trial is yet to start – four months after the hitment were arrested.
The State alleges that a conman, O’brien Obert Mapurisa, hired the suspected hitmen to kidnap and assault businessman Oliver Tendai Chipindu, whom he owed US$800 000.
Mapurisa entered into an agreement with Chipindu to purchase Liquified Petroleum gas tankers in Turkey.
Chipindu gave Mapurisa cash, amounting to US$800 000, for the purchase of seven Liquified Petroleum gas tankers.
The cash was paid in varying amounts on different dates.
In January, Chipindu made numerous efforts to obtain any paperwork pertaining to the purchased gas tankers but Mapurisa became evasive.
Chipindu then contacted the Turkish company, which was supplying the tankers, and was told that they had not yet been paid for in full.
Only a US$132 000 deposit had been paid.
Chipindu then contacted Mapurisa who confirmed that he had diverted the funds but was going to pay for the tankers.
Chipindu demanded a refund of his money but the accused continued being evasive.
The State claims Mapurisa then hatched a plan to eliminate Chipindu.
He hired the hitmen and supplied them with Chipindu’s address and picture.
The armed hitmen travelled to Zimbabwe and spent seven days looking for Chipindu but couldn’t locate him as he had travelled to Turkey.
Chipindu returned to Zimbabwe on March 11 and was advised by his friend, Bernard Chiweshe, that some hitmen had been hired from South Africa to kill him and he made a police report.
On March 19, Chipindu and his friend lured the hitmen back to Zimbabwe and they were arrested.
The police recovered their phones which contained their conversations with Mapurisa.
Online Reporter