dyton mupawaenda
Zvikomborero Parafini
The long anticipated trial of five suspected hitmen hired to kidnap a businessman and write off a debt finally got underway in the capital yesterday.
Th trial opened after magistrate Stanford Mambanje dismissed their application seeking his recusal.
Mambanje ruled that their bid was frivolous and vexatious as there was no clear demonstration of where he had shown any bias in the matter.
He accused them of going on a magistrate shopping forum which judicial officers should not allow.
The five men, Moses Monde of Johannesburg, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, who are based in Cape town pleaded not guilty to the offense of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and assault.
Through their lawyer Moffat Makuvatsine, the gang denied ever conspiring to kidnap one Oliver Tendai Chipindu as alleged by the State.
They denied ever visiting Chipindu’s place of residence in Mt Pleasant and also denied having knowledge of his place of residence and prior to the day of their arrest, they did not know him but knew Bernard Bruce Chiweshe popularly known as Bento who made them to meet up with Chipindu.
They further denied ever entering in an agreement to kidnap and assault Chipindu or ever communicating amongst themselves with regard to that.
They further told the court that they were surprised that they are now being charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and assault but upon arrest, they were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and were never given a chance to give their side of the story and were forced to plead guilty to the charge.
The gang also denied possessing unknown pistols at any time as they hadn’t travelled to commit any of the offenses they are facing.
They further accused Bento of setting them up as he is the one who brought them to Zimbabwe on the pretext that he had found work for them to do without giving much detail.
They claimed that Bento had in fact misled his friend Chipindu by misrepresenting to him that they wanted to kill him so that he could pay him.
They said they knew Bento as their former workmate who would from time to time give them temporary jobs even though theh are employed full time by Obrian Obert Mapurisa.
Mapurisa is into the business of fuel tankers and they claimed that the main reason why they were set up, was on the belief that their arrest would cause Mapurisa to emerge from wherever he was as he has an outstanding debt of over US$500 000.
They further claimed that they are just being used as pawns in a game of chess as their boss is the one who owes Chipindu.
Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu opened his case by leading evidence from Bento who denied knowing the gang prior to the offence.
He told the court that he got a call from one Troy who advised him that he had received information that the gang had an assignment to execute Chipindu.
The trial resumes this Friday.
Online Reporter