Daughter in-law steals $6,000

A BULAWAYO man given to traditional ways of banking large sums of money in a suitcase at home is regretting his failure to embrace modern banking after his teenage niece pinched $6,000 from him.

Portipher Moyo, 44, was allegedly given $23,000 by his brother based in New Zealand for safe keeping.

He instead stashed the money in his old suitcase which he kept in his bedroom.

His 15-year-old niece and daughter-in-law, Elita Banda, 22, teamed up and stole $6,000 from the suitcase, a magistrate heard yesterday.

Banda and the 15-year-old girl appeared before provincial magistrate Willard Maphios Moyo facing theft charges.

The two were not asked to plead and were remanded out of custody to January16, 2015.

Prosecuting Mufaro Mageza told the court that in July 2014, Moyo was given $23,000 by his brother who is based in New Zealand for safe keeping.

Mageza said Moyo put the money in a suitcase and hid the bag in the house.

He said the complainant then accompanied his brother to the airport. The court heard that while Moyo was away, his 15-year-old niece opened the suitcase and stole $1,000.

Mageza said the girl handed the money to Moyo's daughter in-law, Banda.

He said when Moyo returned from the airport, he locked the suitcase without recounting the money and hid it.

It is alleged that his teenage niece searched for the key to unlock the suitcase and within the period between June and December, she would unlock the suitcase on several occasions and steal some money.

The girl converted the money to her personal use and would give some of it to Banda, the court heard.

Mageza said Banda used the money to buy some clothes.

He said sometime in December, after noticing the lavish lifestyle that the two were living, Moyo became suspicious and recounted the money.

Mageza said Moyo discovered that $6,000 was missing and reported the matter to the police leading to the two's arrest.

Police recovered goods and cash valued at only $1,860.

The goods were mostly clothes and shoes.