Man in court for stealing US$70 000 from employer

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

A MAN from Harare has appeared in court for allegedly stealing US$70 000 in cash and a luxury wristwatch worth US$7 000 from a safe at his employer’s home.

Bright Makonyonga Katsatsa (34) appeared before Harare Magistrate Mr Isheunesu Matova yesterday on charges of unlawful entry under aggravating circumstances.

He was remanded in custody to today for a bail hearing.

 The total value of the stolen items is US$77 000, and nothing has been recovered.

The complainant in the case is Joris Pierre Yves Philippe, a sales manager at ADDAX Energy Zimbabwe, who also employed Katsatsa.

Prosecutor Mr Rufaro Chonzi told the court that on December 19 last year, the complainant left his residence at around 3pm to travel to South Africa.

Before departing, he placed US$70 000 inside a safe mounted in a cupboard in his bedroom, leaving everything secured and intact.

The complainant entrusted Katsatsa with a set of keys, which included  keys to the house, car and safe.

During the complainant’s absence, Katsatsa allegedly used the house keys to unlock the doors, entered the residence, and accessed the safe.

 He then took US$70 000, locked the safe, and left the house.

The court heard that Katsatsa was seen entering and leaving the house by the security guard on duty, Kuzivakwashe Mavurume.

On December 24, Katsatsa reportedly took the complainant’s vehicle without permission and drove to his own residence in Goromonzi.

He returned on December 27 and filed a false report with the police, claiming that there had been a break-in at the complainant’s house and that US$15 had been stolen.

When the complainant returned from South Africa on January 3, he went to his bedroom and used a duplicate key to open the safe.

To his surprise, the safe was empty, with all the cash and an IWC automatic wristwatch worth US$7 000 missing.

He immediately reported the matter to ZRP Borrowdale. Detectives investigating the case discovered that there was no evidence of a break-in at the complainant’s home.

Katsatsa was subsequently arrested.

 During questioning, police found the complainant’s missing safe key on Katsatsa’s keychain, which he had also used to drive the complainant’s car during his absence.