9-year jail term for US$107K theft house helper

Michael Mashiri

Zim Now Correspondent

The Highlands house helper, who stole US$107 000 from her Chinese boss together with her police officer boyfriend, was sentenced to nine years in jail, with two years suspended on condition of good behaviour.

Marvelous Mapfumo, 34, who appeared before magistrate Ethel Chichera at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts will serve an effective seven years behind bars.

The State, through prosecutor Takudzwa Mutyavaviri, alleges that in May 2024, the complainant, Sisi Lin would safe-keep his cash from the sales at his supermarket, inside a drawer in his bedroom.

It is alleged that Lin would always leave his bedroom door unlocked during the day, to allow Mapfumo to clean the whole house.

During the same month, Mapfumo, while cleaning the bedroom, discovered that there was some money hidden in a drawer, in the bedroom and informed her boyfriend, Kurebgwaseka who was a police Officer stationed at Central Criminal Bureau, Harare.

It is alleged that Kurebgwaseka asked Mapfumo to leave the money till it accumulated to a larger figure, so that they would steal it.

On May 30, the complainant left his house unlocked as usual, and went to work, leaving his US$107 000 cash intact inside the drawer in his bedroom as usual.

During his absence, Mapfumo contacted Kurebgwaseka and told him that she wanted to steal the money on that same day, and that he should come to pick her up with the stolen cash.

Mapfumo informed Kurebgwaseka that she had now managed to steal all the money which was in the drawer, and secured it in a satchel.

Kurebgwaseka then teamed up with his friend and workmate, Paul Kondo and drove to Number 27 Glencoe Avenue, Highlands, Harare, using a Honda Fit belonging to Kondo.

Mapfumo exited the premises with all her belongings, as well as the satchel with the money.

It is alleged that she later shared the money with Kurebgwaseka and Paul Kondo after they promised to protect her.

On June 12, 2024, detectives from CID Nkulumane, Bulawayo, received information from three sources that Mapfumo had boarded a truck to South Africa via Botswana.

The detectives acted on the information and arrested her.

She was then brought back to CID Highlands, Harare, where she implicated Kurebgwaseka and Kondo as her accomplices.

Further investigations established that the trio met at a lodge in Waterfalls, where they allegedly shared the loot.

The two police officers shared US$60 000 between themselves, while Mapfumo got US$47 000.

Kurebgwaseka went on to take Mapfumo’s share for safe-keeping, saying he suspected that she was being tracked by detectives.

It is alleged that Kondo later took Mapfumo to his girlfriend’s house in Sunningdale, where he ordered her not to talk to anyone while he organised to take her to South Africa to evade arrest.