Five suspected h!tmen from South Africa were lured to Zimbabwe with a promise of US$10,000 to k1dnap a local businessman, Oliver Tendai Chipindu, who had lost around US$800,000 in a failed gas tank deal.
The men, allegedly hired by Obrian Mapurisa, traveled from Cape Town but struggled to locate Chipindu upon arrival.
Chipindu, informed of the plot by an acquaintance, set a trap by pretending to offer the h!tmen the money.
He even sent them R15,000 to cover their bus fare. Once they reached a lodge in Avondale, he confronted them about their intentions.
To his shock, the suspects admitted they didn’t care about the reasons behind their mission; they were only motivated by money.
They even boasted about being willing to bring Mapurisa to Chipindu, “d3ad or alive.” However, Chipindu clarified he wanted no violence, just the return of his money.
The case unfolded in Harare Magistrates Court, where prosecutors presented recorded conversations as evidence.
The defense raised objections, seeking expert analysis to confirm the identities of those on the recordings.
