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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
The trial of five suspected assassins based in South Africa and hired by Obrian Mapurisa to kidnap and assault a local businessman who was demanding back his US$800 000 after a botched gas tanks deal, continued on Tuesday with more details emerging. Moses Monde of Johannesburg and Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, all based in Cape Town, are being charged with assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
The victim, Mr Oliver Tendai Chipindu, testified that he offered US$10 000 to lure the suspects to Zimbabwe after being informed of the plot by an acquaintance, Mr Bernard Bruce Chiweshe.
Mr Chipindu recorded conversations with the suspects who confirmed the plot.
After being promised US$10 000 by Mr Chipindu through Mr Chiweshe, the suspects allegedly travelled from South Africa with plans to kidnap Mr Chipindu but failed to locate him.
“I sent them R15 000 through Chiweshe to cover their bus fares and promised the accused persons US$10 000 if they came to assist us,” Mr Chipindu testified.
Magistrate Stanford Mambanje had indicated he would make a ruling on the admissibility of the recordings yesterday but the matter was rolled to October 9 when a cyber security expert is expected to testify on the recordings.
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