Munyaradzi Mashiri- Court Correspondent
A dramatic twist in a US$75,000 theft case saw a prophet jailed after being found guilty of conspiring with thieves to steal part of the loot during "cleansing rituals."
Richard Mutare, 51, appeared in court on Saturday and again yesterday before magistrate Tapiwa Banda, facing theft charges.
He pleaded guilty before magistrate Lisah Mutendereki.
The court handed down a six-year sentence, but he will only serve three years in prison. Two years were suspended on condition of restitution, while another year was suspended on condition of good behavior.
His alleged accomplices, gardener Mathew Limbani Ndovi and his girlfriend, Loice Taruvinga, represented by lawyer Tafadzwa Muvhami, remain in custody pending their bail ruling.
On Friday, they appeared in court facing charges of unlawful entry.
According to prosecutor Takudzwa Jambawu, the case began in July when Ndovi exploited his employer’s trust. He had been tasked with assisting prospective clients while the complainant was selling her house.
On one occasion, Ndovi attempted to steal from the office but was deterred by a functional CCTV system. He later cut off the main power supply in the kitchen and disabled the cameras but failed to find any cash.
His opportunity came on August 3, when the complainant was out paying her ailing husband’s medical bills in Harare’s CBD. Ndovi discovered spare keys left on a bedroom door, used them to access the office, and found a cardboard box hidden in a cupboard.
The box contained US$75,000 in cash, proceeds from the complainant’s recent farm sales.
Ndovi stole the money, partially burned the box to create the illusion that the cash had been destroyed, wrapped the money in a plastic bag, and left with the loot.
On August 29, the complainant returned to the office to retrieve cash for farm expenses but was shocked to find the box empty and partially burned. She reported the theft to ZRP Highlands.
CID Highlands detectives later arrested Ndovi at his workplace. During questioning, he admitted stealing the money and implicated his girlfriend, Taruvinga, who had been keeping it.
The pair confessed to traveling to Bulawayo to seek the help of Mutare, a prophet, to perform rituals they believed would protect them from arrest.
However, during the rituals, Mutare allegedly conspired with Taruvinga to steal part of the cash. While Ndovi was sent to a nearby mountain to bathe in sacred water as part of the ceremony, Mutare and Taruvinga hid a portion of the stolen money.
So far, police have recovered US$22 600.
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