The trial of five South Africa-based men accused of being hired as hitmen who were allegedly tasked with kidnapping, assaulting and eliminating a prominent Harare businessman, Oliver Tendai Chipindu, over a botched US$800,000 gas tanker deal, resumed in the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday.
The case, which has garnered significant attention, centres around a complex web of alleged deceit, betrayal, and a hefty debt. My Zimbabwe News has reported how much South African hitmen often charge to shoot and kill anyone then would have been hired to eliminate.
The five accused, Moses Monde of Johannesburg, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, all based in Cape Town, pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and assault.
The State alleges that Obrian Obert Mapurisa, a businessman involved in the fuel tanker industry, hired the accused to kidnap and assault Chipindu after a failed business deal involving the purchase of Liquified Petroleum gas tankers in Turkey.
The background of the story reveals that Mapurisa entered into an agreement with Chipindu to purchase seven Liquified Petroleum gas tankers in Turkey. Chipindu, believing in the legitimacy of the deal, provided Mapurisa with US$800,000 in varying amounts over several dates.
However, when Chipindu attempted to obtain paperwork for the tankers, Mapurisa became evasive. Chipindu then contacted Mimak Company in Turkey, the company contracted to build the tankers, and discovered that they had not received the full purchase price, only a deposit of US$132,000.
Mapurisa, confronted by Chipindu, admitted to diverting the funds but assured him that he would pay for the tankers. Despite this, Chipindu’s efforts to recover his money proved futile.
Feeling pressured by Chipindu, Mapurisa allegedly hatched a plan to eliminate him. He hired the accused, providing them with Chipindu’s address and picture, and instructed them to kidnap and assault him.
The accused, armed with unidentified pistols, travelled to Zimbabwe and spent seven days searching for Chipindu, but failed to locate him as he had travelled to Turkey. They later returned to South Africa to re-strategize with Mapurisa.
Upon Chipindu’s return to Zimbabwe on March 11, his friend Bernard Chiweshe informed him that the accused had been hired to kill him. Chipindu immediately reported the matter to the police.
On March 19, Chipindu and Chiweshe lured the accused back to Zimbabwe, booking them into a lodge where they were subsequently arrested. The police recovered their phones, which contained conversations with Mapurisa, providing evidence of the alleged plot.
The accused, through their lawyer Moffat Makuvatsine, denied any involvement in a plot to kidnap Chipindu. They claimed they were brought to Zimbabwe by Chiweshe, who they allege misled them about the nature of the job. They stated that they were unaware of Chipindu’s identity and were surprised to be charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and assault.
“We never conspired to kidnap or assault Oliver Tendai Chipindu. We did not know him before the day of our arrest. We were brought to Zimbabwe by Chiweshe, who promised us work. He then told Chipindu we were hired to kill him, which was a lie,” said the accused, through their lawyer.
The accused further claimed that they were initially arrested for conspiracy to commit murder and were not given a chance to explain their side of the story. They alleged that they were pressured to plead guilty to the initial charge.
“We were shocked when we were arrested for conspiracy to commit murder. We were not given a chance to tell our story and were forced to plead guilty. We never intended to kill anyone,” they said.
The accused also denied possessing any firearms, stating that they had not travelled to Zimbabwe with any weapons. They alleged that Chiweshe, their former workmate, had a history of providing them with temporary work opportunities, despite their full-time employment with Mapurisa.
They claimed that their arrest was a deliberate attempt by Chiweshe to pressure Mapurisa, who owes Chipindu a substantial debt of over US$500,000, to come forward.
“We believe we are being used as pawns in a game of chess. Our boss, Obrian Obert Mapurisa, is the one who owes Chipindu the money. Our arrest is a way to force him to come forward,” they said.
The accused further claimed that Chiweshe had misled Chipindu by telling him they were hired to kill him, with the intention of forcing Chipindu to pay the debt.
The state prosecutor, Ephraim Zinyandu, opened his case by calling Chiweshe to the stand. Chiweshe denied knowing the accused prior to the alleged offence. He told the court that he received a call from a man named Troy, who informed him that the accused had been hired to execute Chipindu.
The trial, which was delayed after the accused applied for the recusal of magistrate Stanford Mambanje, resumed yesterday after Mambanje dismissed their application.
Mambanje ruled that their bid was frivolous and vexatious, as there was no evidence of bias on his part. He accused the accused of “magistrate shopping,” a practice he deemed unacceptable.
The trial is expected to continue this Friday, with the prosecution expected to present further evidence to support their case.
The outcome of the trial will determine the fate of the five accused, who face serious charges that could result in lengthy prison sentences.
