In a high-profile case of theft, four former employees of Grace Mugabe have been arrested and appeared in court, accused of stealing household items valued at approximately US$500,000 from the Blue Roof residence, the lavish home of the late ex-President Robert Mugabe in Borrowdale, Harare.
The accused, whose names were not disclosed in initial reports, were employed as domestic workers at the Mugabe residence, entrusted with the upkeep of the property.
According to court documents, the theft took place over an extended period. The stolen items included a wide range of valuable household goods, such as cutlery, bed covers, and bathing towels, alongside other personal and household items, collectively worth half a million US dollars.
The precise timeline of the theft is still under investigation, but it is believed that the men took advantage of their access to the residence to systematically remove items without drawing immediate suspicion.
The theft was discovered when Grace Mugabe conducted an inventory of the household items and noticed the significant discrepancies. Upon realizing the extent of the missing property, she promptly reported the matter to the police, leading to a swift investigation.
The police conducted a thorough search and investigation, which eventually led them to the four former employees. Upon arrest, some of the stolen items were reportedly recovered from the suspects’ residences.
The authorities are continuing their efforts to recover the remaining stolen property and are working to determine if there were any additional accomplices involved in the theft.
During their court appearance, the men were charged with theft and remanded in custody. The court proceedings revealed that the suspects had allegedly planned the theft meticulously, leveraging their intimate knowledge of the residence and its routines.
The prosecution presented evidence suggesting that the accused had sold some of the stolen items, further complicating the recovery efforts.
The case has attracted significant media attention due to the high profile of the victim and the substantial value of the stolen items. It has also sparked discussions about the security and trust issues within high-profile households, particularly concerning employees with access to valuable property.
As the community follows the unfolding case, it serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities even within the most secure and affluent households. The theft has highlighted the need for rigorous background checks and stringent security measures to prevent such breaches of trust. The legal proceedings will continue as the court seeks to deliver justice for the significant breach of trust and theft that occurred within the Mugabe residence.
ZNN News
