Sister pays thugs US$500 to kill brother

By Arron Nyamayaro

A Salvation Army church Sergeant-Major stands accused of offering thugs a bounty of US$500 to kill her brother over a protracted family dispute. The alleged schemer, Marble Manyati, (45) is alleged to have sought the services of a seven-man gang whose mission unfortunately (for them) failed after their attempt on Ignatius Ganda’s life crashed and burned.

The gang masqueraded as desperate transport seekers and approached Ignatius Ganda, (38) claiming that they wanted to hire his kombi to attend a memorial service in Mahusekwa. When they entered into a deal, it is alleged, the men ganged up against Ignatious and his conductor Tinashe Chigora (27) and attacked the duo near Landas Shopping Centre in Chihota at around 11pm sometime in July.

Ignatius sustained severe head injuries and broke his right leg. He also lost his cellphone, car keys and US$50 in the attack. Narrating his ordeal, Ignatius said his sister had plotted his death although the thugs in fact later sold her out following their arrest last weekend. “Marble has vowed that she would use her money and strong connections to ensure that I am eliminated,” said a devastated Ignatious.

“She hired seven men to kill me but their mission hit a snag as the Lord God was on my side. The men attacked us and we were saved by fellow motorists at around 11pm along Mahusekwa Road. One of the thugs had approached us earlier during that day saying that he wanted to hire us for a memorial service,” he recounted.

“Along the way, they stopped us twice saying they needed a recess as they were drinking beer on the way and we were surprised with the time they took in the dark apparently relieving themselves.” “I am sure they were planning how to start their paid-for attack before two of them grabbed me by the throat accusing me of complaining too much. We saw a Datsun vehicle following us and the two men on board joined the assault,” said Ignatius.

He added: “From that night, Tinashe is still traumatised and he doesn’t want us to carry suspicious people at night. In this case, we never suspected that they were criminals as the men appeared innocent all the way before they attacked us.” “They later confessed that they had been paid to kill me when they were arrested last week after more than a month on the run,” revealed Ignatious.

However, the alleged plotter, Marble — a well known farmer in Beatrice — dismissed the claims insisting that her hands were clean. “I never paid anyone to kill my brother,” she said. “In fact, these guys are taking advantage of the fact that I have been discussing my differences with my brother with them to the extent that they opted to drag my name through the mud.”

“I was questioned by police (Beatrice) on Saturday after these guys mentioned my name claiming that I had paid them to do the job which I never did.” “What I can only say is that we have had some differences in our family that led me to apply for a peace order against my brother but I never paid anyone to attack him.

“One of the thugs is my personal mechanic and we would discuss my differences each time he came to fix my car and he took advantage of having that information.” Her mother, Gogo Emilia Nyazema Ganda, 74, nailed her daughter for the plotting her son’s intended murder.

“Marble is behind all this mess. She has been having differences with her brother and I suspect she hired these thugs to attack my son.” “I was blessed with 12 children but Marble has been at loggerheads with her brothers ever since she was a child,” she said. Marble, along with seven alleged accomplices, is expected to appear at Chitungwiza magistrates’ court soon. H Metro