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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A PLUMTREE businesswoman is counting her losses after one of her senior employees vanished with more than $50,000 from her shop.
Martin Khupe, who was employed at Noble Cement Store, allegedly stole $50,400 which was stored in a safe on Sunday evening. A worker at the store who only identified himself as Qiniso said Khupe was in possession of the shop keys when the money went missing.

“Our manager is not feeling well and as a result Khupe and another senior worker were tasked with the safekeeping of keys.
“When we arrived for work on Monday morning, we found the door to the shop unlocked. Khupe was not around. The safe which had been fitted to one of the cupboard drawers, was also gone along with the drawer. It had about $50,000 in it,” said Qiniso.

He said Khupe’s wife arrived at the shop around the same time looking for him. “Mrs Khupe arrived at the shop looking for her husband. She said he had not slept at home so she came looking for him at the shop.

‘”She said she had last seen her husband in the afternoon on the previous day and was informed that he was seen drinking at a local bar on the evening that he committed the offence,” said Qiniso.

He said Khupe had been employed at the shop for more than four years and had never displayed any signs of criminal intent.
“Khupe was one of the reliable workers at the shop and that is why he was even tasked with a duty to guard the keys. I do not know what came over him as this incident has come as a shock to all of us,” said Qiniso.

“We normally bank our money and we were supposed to take it for banking on Monday morning.”
The owner of the shop Zeldah Noble confirmed the robbery and said the matter was being handled by the police.

A comment could not be obtained from the Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson.