5 South African Hitmen Jailed 50 Years in Zimbabwe for Plot to Kill Businessman
5 South African Hitmen Jailed 50 Years in Zimbabwe for Plot to Kill Businessman
A magistrates’ court in Zimbabwe has sentenced five South African hitmen to a total of 50 years in prison for their role in a kidnapping and assault plot against Zimbabwean businessman Oliver Tendai Chipindu.
5 South African Hitmen Jailed 50 Years in Zimbabwe
The hitmen—Moses Monde, Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda, and Joshua Mapuranga—were found guilty of assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Each was initially sentenced to 12 years, but two years were suspended for good behavior, meaning they will serve 10 years each.
The case stemmed from a botched deal involving liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers, in which Chipindu was defrauded of $800,000 by a man named Obrian Mapurisa, who remains at large. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Chipindu signed an agreement with Mapurisa to purchase LPG tankers worth $800,000 but struggled to obtain the necessary paperwork.
A Business Deal That Turned Sour
Between November 2022 and January 2024, Chipindu repeatedly tried to get the necessary paperwork for the tankers, but Mapurisa avoided him. Eventually, Chipindu contacted the company in Turkey, only to learn that Mapurisa had paid nothing beyond the US$132,000 deposit. When Chipindu confronted Mapurisa, he was told that the funds had been diverted, but Mapurisa promised to pay once he recouped the money.
Frustrated by Mapurisa’s lack of cooperation, Chipindu traveled to Turkey in February to make alternative arrangements for the delivery of the tankers. This angered Mapurisa, who then allegedly hired the South African hitmen to kill his business partner.
The court heard that Mapurisa provided the hitmen with a photo of Chipindu and his address in Mt. Pleasant. When Chipindu returned to Zimbabwe, he learned from a friend that Mapurisa had sent people to kill him.
Chipindu and his friend then reportedly lured the hitmen back to Zimbabwe, where they were arrested after booking accommodation in Avondale.
