News / National
Trio steals US$50 000 from doctor
04 Feb 2021 at 00:53hrs | Views
INVESTIGATIONS into the case of a Ruwa medical doctor whose double storey mansion was gutted by fire last week, losing property worth US$130 000 have led to the arrest of his nephew, driver and gardener for theft and malicious damage to property.
A Harare magistrate yesterday heard that the trio of Blessing Mahutse (20), Simon Chavhunduka (19) and Garikayi Ekaya (36), stole US$50 000 from Dr Johannes Marisa's mansion before setting it on fire to conceal the offence.
Mahutse is a nephew to Dr Marisa while Chavhunduka and Ekaya were employed as driver and gardener.
The court also heard that Mahutse and Chavhunduka live at the mansion and had access to the complainant's bedroom where the money was kept.
The trio appeared in court yesterday before magistrate Ms Barbra Mateko charged with theft and malicious damage to property. They were remanded in custody to Monday for bail application.
Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti said on January 29, the trio hatched a plan to steal from Dr Marisa. Mahutse and Chavhunduka, it is alleged, entered the doctor's bedroom, broke the wardrobe locks and stole a bag containing US$50 000.
The gardener, Ekaya, is said to have taken two litres of petrol from a storeroom which was meant for the lawn mower and used it to burn the house in connivance with his two accomplices, the court heard. It is said the trio lied to Dr Marisa that the fire was caused by lightning.
Dr Marisa hired experts from the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), who ruled out an electrical fault, leading to the arrest of the trio. According to the State, Mahutse made no effort to rescue Dr Marisa's children who were in the prayer room.
Mahutse reportedly entered the prayer room when the house caught fire but did not rescue the children and walked out without alerting them.
The children had to escape through the windows after noticing the danger.
A Harare magistrate yesterday heard that the trio of Blessing Mahutse (20), Simon Chavhunduka (19) and Garikayi Ekaya (36), stole US$50 000 from Dr Johannes Marisa's mansion before setting it on fire to conceal the offence.
Mahutse is a nephew to Dr Marisa while Chavhunduka and Ekaya were employed as driver and gardener.
The court also heard that Mahutse and Chavhunduka live at the mansion and had access to the complainant's bedroom where the money was kept.
The trio appeared in court yesterday before magistrate Ms Barbra Mateko charged with theft and malicious damage to property. They were remanded in custody to Monday for bail application.
Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti said on January 29, the trio hatched a plan to steal from Dr Marisa. Mahutse and Chavhunduka, it is alleged, entered the doctor's bedroom, broke the wardrobe locks and stole a bag containing US$50 000.
The gardener, Ekaya, is said to have taken two litres of petrol from a storeroom which was meant for the lawn mower and used it to burn the house in connivance with his two accomplices, the court heard. It is said the trio lied to Dr Marisa that the fire was caused by lightning.
Dr Marisa hired experts from the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), who ruled out an electrical fault, leading to the arrest of the trio. According to the State, Mahutse made no effort to rescue Dr Marisa's children who were in the prayer room.
Mahutse reportedly entered the prayer room when the house caught fire but did not rescue the children and walked out without alerting them.
The children had to escape through the windows after noticing the danger.
Source - the herald
