Cop testifies in hired SA hitmen's trial

The trial of five suspected hitmen based in South Africa, allegedly hired to kidnap and assault a local businessman over a botched US$800,000 gas tanks deal, continued this week with the State presenting new evidence in court.

The suspects, Moses Monde from Johannesburg, and Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda, and Joshua Mapuranga, all based in Cape Town, face charges of assault and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. They are accused of targeting the businessman, who was reportedly defrauded by Obrian Mapurisa in a failed gas tanks transaction.

Prosecutor Mr. Ephraim Zinyandu called Detective Assistant Inspector Tirivangani Madhibha, the police officer who arrested and investigated the suspects, to testify. Det Asst Insp Madhibha told the court that he received two mobile phones - a Hi-sense and a Samsung Galaxy - belonging to Monde and Manzinde from the arresting team.

"These phones were used to communicate with the mastermind, Mapurisa," Madhibha testified. He added that the accused signed seizure forms for the phones, which were handed over to him as part of the investigation. The State moved to submit the phones and seizure forms as exhibits, but defense lawyer Mr. Moffat Makuvatsine objected, arguing that the identity of the person who originally seized the phones was unclear.

Presiding magistrate Mr. Stanford Mambanje ruled that the exhibits would be provisionally accepted, with a final decision on their admissibility to be made after all the evidence has been presented.

Det Asst Insp Madhibha further revealed that information retrieved from the phones confirmed communication between the suspects and Obrian Mapurisa, strengthening the State's case against the accused. The trial continues, with more evidence expected to be submitted in the coming days.