Security guard in court over US$4 000 theft

Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent

A SECURITY guard appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday for allegedly stealing US$4 000 cash and goods valued at over US$2 000 from a safe at a Harare fast food outlet he was supposed to be guarding.

Vengai Mafusire (35) appeared before magistrate Ms Evelyn Mashavakure charged with unlawful entry and theft and was remanded out of custody to tomorrow for trial commencement.

Mafusire is employed by Black Shack Security Company and was deployed at a food outlet in central Harare.

The State led by Takudzwa Jambawu alleged that on May 3, Mafusire decided to steal money held at the outlet, so deliberately left his cellphone in the shop before closing the shop’s doors together with the afternoon shift manager, Mr Blessing Mapara, and another security guard, Cleopas Ushe.

Mafusire then asked Mr Mapara if he could go back into the office to collect his cellphone and was given the office keys, which were on the same bunch as the keys to the safe.

It is alleged that Mafusire then went back into the shop and unlocked the safe and then closed and locked the shop door, surrendering the keys to Mr Mapara.

During the night while Mafusire was going around the place as part of his security duties, he allegedly broke into the shop through a window and took US$4 000 cash from the unlocked safe.

He also took a Dell monitor, Dahua digital video recorder, and Class-D public broadcasting power amplifier, and took them off the premises before handing over to the day shift security guard.

The following day at around 7am, Linda Munhamo, the branch manager, discovered the thefts and reported at ZRP Harare Central.

Detectives instituted an investigation leading to the arrest of Mafusire, who was now in the Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe area.

Mafusire led detectives to the recovery of the Dell monitor, Dahua digital video recorder, and a Class-D public broadcasting power amplifier from the room of his sister, Wadzanai Mafusire, in Budiriro 5B, Harare.

Police also recovered US$1 237 at Chipuriro Village in Murehwa, where he once stayed after committing the offence, as he was running away from the police.