Housemaid jailed for stealing over US$80,000 from employer

A housemaid has been sentenced to 36 months in prison by the Harare Magistrates’ Court for stealing more than US$80,000 from her employer.

Sarah Matemarunda, 59, will serve 34 months in jail after the court suspended two months of her sentence.

The court heard that on 10 August 2025, the victim left his home for his farm in Darwendale, leaving Matemarunda and the gardener, Milton Mudimu, to carry out their duties. The next day, the victim received a call from Matemarunda saying the gardener had not reported for work.

When the victim returned home on 12 August, he discovered his bedroom doors wide open and a digital metal safe forcibly removed from the wall. The safe contained large sums of cash in various currencies, including US$80,400, ZAR4,000, 300 Yuan, 200 Dirhams, 100 Rupees and 30 Pounds.

Police investigations later found the safe inside a parked car at the house, with fingerprints identified on it. Further investigations led to the arrest of Mudimu while he was attempting to flee to South Africa.

Mudimu implicated Matemarunda as the mastermind, who had provided information about the cash and coordinated with two male accomplices, who are still at large, to remove the safe and share the loot.

Matemarunda was arrested, and officers recovered cash hidden in her room, including US$1,239, ZAR1,360, 100 Yuan, 5 Dirhams, 50 Rupees, and GBP10.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reminded the public that the law will always catch up with those who commit criminal acts and betray the trust of their employers. *_-Pindula_*