Property World loses over US$38k to caretaker

Michael Mashiri

A caretaker and gardener, who were employed by Property World Private Limited, have appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with unlawful entry.

Lovemore Katiyo, 48, and Anusa Kasupe, 48, both of Alexandra Park, appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi facing unlawful entry charges.

The complainant in this matter is Property World Private Limited, represented by Kudzai Trevor Chipika.

The State, through prosecutor Zebediah Bofu, alleges that in April 2023, Katiyo, who is employed by the complainant as a caretaker, connived with Kasupe, who is also employed as a gardener at the opposite house in Alexandra Park, to steal from the complainant.

Katiyo got access to the keys to the safe and took a picture of it.

He got in touch with Kasupe who then made duplicate safe keys.

Katiyo entered the offices through a biometric fingerprint system and went to the main entrance door and opened for himself and Kasupe.

While inside the office, the two went to the cashier's office, used the duplicate key to open the safe and stole US$15 697 and went away without anyone seeing them.

Chipika discovered that the money had been stolen but did not make an official report since he suspected it to be an in-house thing.

As a result, he made his own internal investigations.

In mid May 2023, the accused persons, used the same method and stole US$17 000 and were not caught.

Chipika also discovered the offence but did not make official report, preferring to conduct his own investigations.

From June 30, 2023 to July 3, 2023, the pair used the duplicate safe key to open the safe and stole approximately US$6 000 and went away.

On June 30, 2023, Chipika discovered the offence and checked the biometric fingerprint system database and discovered that Katiyo entered the offices at around 2300 hours during the night.

He then went to ZRP Avondale and filed a report, indicating that he suspected Katiyo, who admitted to stealing the money and implicated Kasupe whom he said he shared the money with.

The total amount of the money that was stolen is approximately US$38 697 and US$1 490 was recovered from Katiyo’s wife, who was keeping the money in the wardrobe.

Kasupe led to the recovery of the duplicate safe key and cashiers door key which they used to unlock the door and safe.

Mangosi ordered the two to appear in court today for bail application.