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Fortunate Gora, Harare Bureau
Former President Mr Robert Mugabe lost US$150 000 cash to employees at his rural home in Zvimba.

The employees, who included his relatives, reportedly stole a briefcase which contained the money as they were doing household chores between December 1 last year and January 5 this year.

The suspects – Constancia Mugabe (50), Johanne Mapurisa (50) and Saymore Nhetekwa (47), appeared before Chinhoyi magistrate Mr Felix Mawadze yesterday facing theft charges.

Mr Mawadze granted the trio $2 000 bail each and remanded them to January 24.

The suspects were ordered not to interfere with the State’s chief witness, Gushungo Holdings human resources manager and administrator of The Grace Mugabe Foundation, Mr Farai Edson Jemwa.

They were ordered not to interfere with other witnesses who include Mr Obey Simbarashe Mudimu, Mr Taurai Maunganiso and Mr Huggins Chawaripa.

Mr Mawadze further ordered Mugabe, Mapurisa and Nhetekwa to report at Kutama Police Station every Friday between 8am and 4pm and to surrender their travelling documents.

The prosecution led by Mrs Teveraishe Zinyemba is alleging that sometime between December 1 last year and January 5 this year, the trio connived with Andrew Mahumbe, who is still at large, to steal a briefcase containing US$150 000 in cash as they were cleaning the house.

Mugabe kept keys to the house and had unlimited access to all its rooms.

The matter was reported to the police.

Investigations showed that the trio had accumulated unexplained wealth.

“Second accused Mapurisa bought a Toyota Camry registration number AFC 5310 for US$7 800 and a house for $20 000 after the incident,” said Mr Zinyemba.

“Third ccused Nhetekwa also bought a Honda Fit registration number AFB 2232 for US$6 000 and livestock which included pigs and cattle for an undisclosed amount after the incident.”

Police at Kutama, Zvimba, recovered the two vehicles from Nhetekwa and Mapurisa.

This was after they failed to explain where they got the money to buy the vehicles.