Three held after theft of Mugabe’s briefcase with US$150k cash

HARARE – Former President Robert Mugabe kept US$150,000 in a briefcase at his rural home in Zvimba.

This was revealed on Wednesday when his three employees appeared before a magistrate charged with theft. A fourth suspect, Andrew Mahumbe, is being sought by police.

Constancia Mugabe, 50, Johanne Mapurisa, 50, and Saymore Nhetekwa, 47, were granted $2,000 bail by Chinhoyi magistrate Felix Mawadze as they were remanded to January 24.

Prosecutors say the money vanished from a locked room sometime between December 1 last year and January 1, 2019.

Teveraishe Zinyemba, for the prosecution, said the quartet, assisted by Constancia Mugabe who had access to the room with the money, conspired to steal and shared the loot.

It is alleged the four had accumulated unexplained wealth, including cars, residential stands and livestock.

Farai Edson Jemwa, the Gushungo Holdings human resources manager and administrator of the Grace Mugabe Foundation, is the complainant.