Source: SA-based contract killers jailed 2 years – DailyNews Live
Tarisai Machakaire 3 February 2018
HARARE – Two South Africa-based men hired to kill a Zimbabwean man by his
jilted lover will spend the next two years in jail.
Fanuel Machando, 42, of Poortye Vaalrand, in Johannesburg and his
neighbour, Elliot Ratema, 34, were convicted on charges of conspiracy to
commit murder.
The State presented overwhelming evidence against them.
The trial of the two, who are not conversant in English, was conducted
through an interpreter conversant with Zulu. The case was heard before
Harare magistrate Josephine Sande.
Machando is Zimbabwean and hails from Gutu District under Chief Nerupiri
while his co-accused is a South African national.
In delivering her ruling, Sande said offences involving use of weapons
were on the rise.
She also noted the crime was premeditated, with the duo crossing the
border into Zimbabwe to carry out the heinous crime.
“A clear message ought to be sent that these courts do not condone such
conduct. Only a custodial sentence will justify the offence,” Sande said
before caging them for two years.
The complainant was Tichaona Shonhiwa, who had separated with Zanele Nkosi
– a South African woman who is on the run.
Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on November 26, the duo
arrived in Zimbabwe from South Africa armed with a 9mm Star pistol that
had erased serial numbers.
Machando and Ratema had been given information about Shonhiwa’s
whereabouts and wanted to attack him in Vainona as instructed by Nkosi.
When the two arrived in Harare, they sought shelter from a squatter camp
in Groombridge where they carried out surveillance on their target.
An informer residing at the camp saw one of the accused persons holding a
firearm in public and informed members of the Zimbabwe National Army, who
apprehended the two and recovered the pistol.
They confessed that they had been sent to attack Shonhiwa and were handed
over to the police.
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