A 59-year-old woman who once worked as a housemaid for Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, has been sentenced to 3 years in jail.
Tracy Manase from Chizemo village, under Chief Mutambara, appeared before Mutare magistrate Nortilda Muchineripi where she pleaded guilty to stealing US$25 000 from Mutsvangwa.
The magistrate, however, suspended 12 months of the sentence on condition that she restitute US$15 000.
Another 12 months were suspended on condition she will not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
In her mitigation, Manase told the court that she was paid ZWL$120 monthly. She then pleaded with the court to be allowed to contact her relatives so that she could raise the money. She said:
I was being given ZWL$120 as my salary. I am asking for forgiveness my Lord, l want to call my sons and relatives so that they can pay back the money.
The US$25 000 belonged to Joyce Mukono (49) from Zimre Park in Harare who is sister to Minister Mutsvangwa.
She had given the money to the Cabinet Minister for safe-keeping before Manase stole it and resigned from her domestic work.
Manase returned to her village where she was arrested by the police after she had blown most of the money.