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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
The trial of five suspected hit men based in South Africa who were hired by Obrian Mapurisa to kidnap and assault a local businessman whom he had defrauded of US$800 000 in a botched gas tanks deal, continued yesterday with more details emerging.
The suspects are Moses Monde of Johannesburg, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda, and Joshua Mapuranga, who are based in Cape Town, are facing assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping charges.
The victim, Oliver Tendai Chipindu, testified that he lured the suspects to Zimbabwe with a $10 000 bait after being informed of the plot by an acquaintance, Benard Bruce Chiweshe.
Chipindu recorded conversations with the suspects, who confirmed their intentions.
The suspects allegedly travelled from South Africa with plans to kidnap Chipindu but failed to locate him.
They were promised $10 000 by Chiweshe.
“I sent them R15 000 through Chiweshe to cover the bus fares they were owed, so that they could retrieve their confiscated phones and bags plus transport to come to Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chipindu said it was Chiweshe who promised the accused persons US$10 000 if they came to assist him.
“However, I told Chiweshe that I had no such money but he told me that since they already wanted to kidnap me I should entrap them so that they get arrested,” he said
The accused arrived in Zimbabwe on March 20 and were camped at a lodge in Avondale.
“l gathered courage and went to the lodge and upon arrival they all confirmed that indeed they had been sent to me and to test their loyalty I asked them if they vet an issue before executing the order they are given,” he said.
“Shockingly, they said they did not care what the issue was when they were hired, they only executed the plans of their master. I felt that as much as they had come to “assist” me they are not loyal to anyone but only to money and l felt it was not safe to deal with them.”
He further clarified that the help they were offering was either to bring Mapurisa to him dead or alive and they needed a vehicle to travel to where he was.
Chipindu however advised them that he did not want any blood but he only wanted his money back.
Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu submitted two recorded telephone audios as evidence, but defense counsel Moffat Makuvatsine objected, requesting voice expert analysis to verify the speakers’ identities.
Online Reporter