By Nokutenda Chiyangwa
A Harare man appeared in court on Tuesday for stealing $83 000 worth of groceries from N. Richards Wholesales in connivance with one of the store’s security guards. Maxmillan Mugabe (46) appeared before magistrate Ms Tilda Mazhande charged with fraud.
He was granted $300 bail and remanded to May 10.
It is alleged that Mugabe, who was a regular client at N. Richards, befriended Themba Ngwerume who was a security controller at the exit door.
Ngwerume’s duties included checking out customers’ goods.
The pair hatched a plan where Mugabe would buy groceries, pay for them and approach Ngwerume to check the groceries.
Ngwerume would check the groceries, but hand back the receipt to Mugabe without stamping it.
Mugabe would then exit the store with the goods and dispose of them.
He would return into the shop and use the unstamped receipts to take the same type of groceries without paying for them.
Ngwerume would then check the groceries and stamp the receipts to appear as if the goods had been paid for.
The court heard that the offence came to light when there was a stock-take on December 27 last year, which revealed that items worth $83 000 were stolen, which led to the shop security scrutinising CCTV footage.
This led to Mugabe and Ngwerume’s scheme being exposed and their subsequent arrest. The Herald
