A Harare businessman is counting his losses after a night at his girlfriend’s house in Ruwa turned into a financial and security nightmare. Joseph Maruta (40) reported the theft of US$184,900 in cash and his firearm from his lover’s residence on Saturday, H-Metro has reported.
According to police reports, Maruta, who is involved in supplying potato seeds, had collected US$181,000 in cash from a farm owned by a prominent politician in Kwekwe earlier that day. After concluding his business, he returned to his Kambuzuma home, collected his pistol, and proceeded to his girlfriend Leoba Hunda’s place in Springvale, Ruwa.
Maruta carried the bag containing the substantial sum of cash and his firearm, loaded with two magazines of 15 rounds each, into Hunda’s house. After Hunda secured the premises by locking the door, the couple retired to the bedroom for the night.
Around 2am, Maruta was awakened by the sound of an alarm. His girlfriend went to investigate and returned to inform him that the alarm had been triggered at a neighbour’s property.
However, when Maruta awoke the following morning, he discovered that the bag containing the cash and his firearm had vanished.
Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the incident, stating, “Police are investigating an unlawful entry and theft case in Ruwa.” He added, “They noticed that the complainant’s rear windscreen was damaged. The complainant lost his firearm and a total of US$184,900.”
The circumstances surrounding the theft remain unclear, and police are currently investigating how the thieves gained access to the house and made off with the valuable items.
In a separate incident, another Harare businessman fell victim to thieves while attending a church service. Onismus Sosa (44), a company director from Tynwald North, lost his firearm, US$12,000 in cash, and other valuables after his house was ransacked.
Sosa was attending a church service in Warren Park when thieves broke into his Tynwald North residence. Upon returning home, he discovered that the sliding gate lock had been damaged and the front dining room window was broken.
A thorough inspection of the house revealed that a Sony 50-inch television set and a Toshiba 43-inch television set, both located in the dining room, were missing. Further investigation revealed that his firearm, without a magazine, had also been stolen, along with US$12,000 in cash.
In addition to the firearm and cash, the thieves made off with four formal suits, a Lenovo laptop, a Dell laptop, an HP Corei5 laptop, a Samsung tablet, and two lithium batteries.
Inspector Luckmore Chakanza also confirmed this incident, stating, “Police are investigating an unlawful entry and theft case in Tynwald. The complainant lost goods and cash.”
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