Former First Lady Grace Mugabe broke down in court on Wednesday upon glimpsing the belongings of her husband, late long-time ruler Robert Mugabe.
The items were shown during her former employees' theft trial at the Harare Magistrates Court.
The five who include Tendai Nyamudze, Allen Chinamonya, Danmore Chinamonya, Samson Karonga, and Brighton Bunganirwa allegedly stole valuables including an old plated table fork, a pictorial book titled "Robert Mugabe at 90," welcome remarks from the late Mugabe's speech at the 1994 National People's Congress, a discussion paper from a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting, and a collection of handbags and other personal effects.
The total value of these items, according to Grace, is approximately US$3.5 million, significantly higher than the US$500,000 listed in court papers.
When the stolen goods were shown in court Grace broke down forcing the magistrate to adjourn proceedings to allow her to regain her composure.
When court resumed Grace relived how in 2017, her family moved from an old house owned by the ruling party to their new residence, Blue Roof, using four containers to store their belongings.
She said she was responsible for the keys to these containers.
Grace said she became aware of the alleged theft in 2022, after returning from Singapore, when her brother, Winston Marufu, informed her of the situation, leading to a police report.
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She strongly disputed claims made by the defendants that the items were gifts from her husband.
"In May, I noticed that the containers had been ransacked and many items were missing, although I can't recall every single item that was taken. One of the accused was caught red-handed with chest drawers," she stated, stressing that the former president had not given gifts to these workers, especially when other dedicated employees of more than 30 years had not received such perks.
The former First Lady identified one accused individual based on a history of theft during their employment.
According to prosecutor Oscar Madhume, on May 22, 2024, Grace Mugabe went to the containers to select artefacts belonging to the late president for donation to the African Liberation Museum, only to find several locks broken and numerous items missing.
Following her police report, an investigation recovered goods valued at approximately US$2,000, including two men's suits and a Sony television from Allen and Danmore.
Karonga was apprehended at the scene while loitering and reportedly struggled to provide satisfactory explanations during questioning.
Additionally, it was noted that Bunganirwa had a prior conviction for a similar offence against Grace Mugabe in 2022.
#WATCH: Grace Mugabe gets queens treatment upon arrival at court were her five former employees are being charged with theft pic.twitter.com/FIRzmuGaaC-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) November 20, 2024
