Mastermind behind hitmen must be nabbed
If he had not gone on a business trip to Turkey, in February, it’s very likely that he could have been shot dead.
He was the target of a gang of five hitmen, who were allegedly hired from South Africa by his business colleague, to kill him.
Obrian Obert Mapurisa is the man who is accused of hiring the killers to assassinate Chipindu because the two had fallen out over a business deal which went sour.
The deal involved US$800 000, the money which Chipindu gave to Mapurisa to buy Liquified Petroleum gas tankers in Turkey.
Chipindu wanted seven Liquified Petroleum gas tankers and Mapurisa assured him that he would deliver the tankers.
However, by January Chipindu became concerned and made numerous efforts to obtain any paperwork pertaining to the purchased gas tankers but Mapurisa became evasive.
Chipindu contacted Mimak, the company in Turkey which had been contracted to do the gas tankers, and was informed that they had not yet been paid in full.
He was told that only a deposit of US$132 000 had been paid.
Chipindu was forced to fly to Turkey to try and negotiate with Mimak officials to give him more time to pay for the tankers.
He was given up to the end of this month to pay the full price of the tankers or they will be delivered elsewhere.
What he didn’t know was that Mapurisa had hired five hitmen —Moses Monde, who is based in Johannesburg and Malvin Manzinde, Malvin Tatenda Nyamuranga, Norbert Muponda and Joshua Mapuranga, who are based in Cape Town, to kill him.
The case has spilled into court but what is scary is the extent which some people are prepared to go just to ensure that they reap where they did not sow.
That Mapurisa decided to hire some hitmen to eliminate his business colleague, whom he had duped US$800 000, once again shows that we live in a very dangerous world.
We have read a number of such stories happening in other countries, especially South Africa, where guns are widely available and the crime statistics are very high and scary.
But, this case shows us that this type of crime has now been brought to our doorsteps and we can only salute our police force for their vigilance which helped arrest the five suspected hitmen.
It sends a huge message to other hitmen in South Africa, who could be hired for similar missions, that they won’t execute their mission with ease when they come into this country.
Mapurisa has to be caught and answer for his sins because he is the mastermind in this evil plot.
He sneaked into South Africa at the weekend to flee from the mess that he created. But, we hope the long arm of the law will catch up with him.