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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
THE trial of five suspected hitmen, who were allegedly hired from South Africa to kidnap and assault a Harare businessman, Oliver Tendai Chipindu, after a botched US$800 000 gas tanks deal, finally opened yesterday after an application seeking recusal of the magistrate was dismissed for lack of merit.
Moses Monde of Johannesburg, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, who are based in Cape Town, appeared before regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje charged with assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
They are being represented by lawyer Mr Moffat Makuvatsine.
The State led evidence from its first witness, Mr Benard Bruce Chiweshe, who linked the accused persons to Mr Chipindu.
Mr Chiweshe told the court that he knew the accused persons in connection with this case and had known Mr Chipindu for over a year.
“On March 19, I received a call from Troy who was in South Africa and he asked me if l was in good books with Chipindu and l said yes.
“He then told me that there were people who had been hired by one O’Brian Mapurisa to kidnap and assault Chipindu in Zimbabwe but were not happy with the treatment they got from Mapurisa and were willing to assist Chipindu,.
Mr Chiweshe said he later called Mr Chipindu and told him what he heard and they engaged in a video call with Troy, who also connected Monde to the conversation.
Monde allegedly explained how they had been hired to deal with Mr Chipindu.
He said the hitmen arrived in Harare on March 6, but failed to locate Mr Chipindu at his house and office.
Mr Chiweshe further told the court that they arranged for the accused to come to Zimbabwe to meet Mr Chipindu.
Monde told them that their phones were confiscated after they failed to pay bus fare to South Africa after Mapurisa failed to pay them.
He said they needed money to recover their belongings and Mr Chipindu sent them R10 000 via Mr Chiweshe.
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During cross examination, Mr Chiweshe acknowledged that he did not supply police with Troy’s full details, and those of another man only known as Nox who assisted in bringing the quartet to Zimbabwe.
He also said he did not know how much was promised to the accused to come to Zimbabwe, adding that he was merely a facilitator in the scheme.
Trial is expected to continue this Friday with the prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu leading evidence from Mr Chipindu.
It is the State’s case that as a result of pressure from Mr Chipindu who wanted to recover his money, Mapurisa hatched a plan to eliminate him by hiring hitmen.
He supplied them with Mr Chipindu’s address and picture.
It is further alleged that on March 19, 2024, Mr Chipindu and his friend lured the accused persons to Zimbabwe from South Africa.
Mr Chipindu met the suspects at a lodge in Avondale, Harare where the hitmen revealed the plot to kidnap and assault the businessman. The suspects said they had been instructed to break Mr Chipindu’s legs and collar bone.
Mr Chipindu made some recordings using his phone and reported the case to police who arrested the suspects.
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