News / Regional
Maid masterminds R356,000 theft from employer
17 Jul 2015 at 07:25hrs | Views
A GWERU cross-border trader, 42, allegedly lost R356,000 to her maid, gardener and general hand who went on to fake a robbery at home in a botched attempt to cover up the theft.
This was heard yesterday when Tatenda Semwayo, 27, and Thomason Muvirimi, 25, appeared before Gweru magistrate Judith Taruvinga facing a theft charge.
Their accomplice, Eunah Badza, 30, who was employed as a maid, is still on the run. Semwayo and Muvirimi pleaded not guilty and were remanded out of custody to July 30 for trial on $100 bail each.
For the state, Hellen Kosa said on May 3 this year at about 7PM, Ordeline Shava, 42, of Southdowns, returned home from South Africa and gave Badza R356,000 for safe keeping.
Badza allegedly placed the money in a plastic bag, wrapped it in a bedspread that she put in a washing basket, before piling dirty clothes on top of it. "The following day on May 4, Shava left for town in the company of Badza around 9AM leaving Semwayo at the house," said Kosa.
When they were in town, Badza allegedly called Semwayo and told him where she had placed the money.
Semwayo informed Muvirimi that there was money in the washing basket and the duo went on to steal it.
"Muvirimi and Semwayo went to the bedroom where Badza had told them that she had left the money and they stole R356,000, after which they faked a robbery and called Shava telling her that there was a robbery and her money was stolen," said Kosa.
She said Shava called the police who attended the scene and observed that there were no signs of forced entry into the house. "Further investigations led to the arrest of Semwayo and Muvirimi while Badza managed to escape," said Kosa.
Last year, a domestic worker in Bulawayo's Kumalo suburb stole $50,000 from her employer and vanished, leaving $20,000 to her two male friends. The maid committed the crime when her employer was in Masvingo where she works.
Police have previously warned people against keeping large sums of money in their homes or at their business premises, encouraging them to deposit it in banks.
This was heard yesterday when Tatenda Semwayo, 27, and Thomason Muvirimi, 25, appeared before Gweru magistrate Judith Taruvinga facing a theft charge.
Their accomplice, Eunah Badza, 30, who was employed as a maid, is still on the run. Semwayo and Muvirimi pleaded not guilty and were remanded out of custody to July 30 for trial on $100 bail each.
For the state, Hellen Kosa said on May 3 this year at about 7PM, Ordeline Shava, 42, of Southdowns, returned home from South Africa and gave Badza R356,000 for safe keeping.
Badza allegedly placed the money in a plastic bag, wrapped it in a bedspread that she put in a washing basket, before piling dirty clothes on top of it. "The following day on May 4, Shava left for town in the company of Badza around 9AM leaving Semwayo at the house," said Kosa.
Semwayo informed Muvirimi that there was money in the washing basket and the duo went on to steal it.
"Muvirimi and Semwayo went to the bedroom where Badza had told them that she had left the money and they stole R356,000, after which they faked a robbery and called Shava telling her that there was a robbery and her money was stolen," said Kosa.
She said Shava called the police who attended the scene and observed that there were no signs of forced entry into the house. "Further investigations led to the arrest of Semwayo and Muvirimi while Badza managed to escape," said Kosa.
Last year, a domestic worker in Bulawayo's Kumalo suburb stole $50,000 from her employer and vanished, leaving $20,000 to her two male friends. The maid committed the crime when her employer was in Masvingo where she works.
Police have previously warned people against keeping large sums of money in their homes or at their business premises, encouraging them to deposit it in banks.
Source - chronicle
