Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
Five South African-based hitmen have been sentenced to a combined 50 years in jail for their involvement in a kidnapping and assault plot targeting local businessman Mr Oliver Tendai Chipindu.
Moses Monde, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda, and Joshua Mapuranga were convicted of assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Presiding magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje initially sentenced each of the culprits to 12 years in prison before suspending two years from each sentence on condition of good behavior.
They will each serve 10 years in jail.
The case arose from a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers botched deal that saw Mr Chipindu being defrauded of US$800 000 by one Obrian Mapurisa.
