Housemaid connives with boyfriend to steal US$128,000 from employer

A 28-year-old housemaid from Borrowdale, Harare, has appeared in court accused of conspiring with her boyfriend to steal US$128,000 from her employer.

Linda Mubure appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo, facing a charge of unlawful entry.

The court heard that the complainant, Margaret Zvinavashe, had intended to use US$128,000 to purchase a new house. On 8 June 2026, she travelled with Mubure to Borrowdale to conclude the transaction, but the deal did not go ahead.

After returning home, Zvinavashe allegedly placed the cash in a wardrobe in her bedroom.

According to the State, Mubure then conspired with her boyfriend, who remains at large, to steal the money.

Prosecutors allege that Mubure took her employer’s bedroom keys to Strathaven Shopping Centre, Strathaven, where she arranged for a locksmith to make duplicate copies.

On 10 June 2026, Zvinavashe instructed Mubure to secure the house by locking all doors and closing all windows before they left for the family’s farm in Norton.

The State alleges that Mubure deliberately left the main entrance unlocked and alerted her boyfriend once the house was empty.

Her boyfriend allegedly entered through the unlocked front door and used the duplicate keys to gain access to the complainant’s bedroom. He is accused of stealing the US$128,000 from the wardrobe before leaving undetected.

When the pair returned from the farm, Mubure allegedly asked for the house keys and pretended to unlock the property. However, the complainant noticed that the house had not been locked, and there were no signs of a break-in.

After entering her bedroom, Zvinavashe discovered that it had been opened and that the money was missing.

The court further heard that she saw Mubure deleting messages exchanged with her boyfriend. When she tried to stop her, Mubure allegedly refused and deleted the conversations.

The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to Mubure’s arrest. *_-Pindula_*