Caregiver Steals US$75k Splurges With Lover

By Judith Nyuke

A 23-year-old caregiver appeared in court after allegedly stealing US$75 000 from his boss’s office in Harare and gave his girlfriend for safe keeping before going on a spending spree.

Matthew Limbani Ndovi and Loice Taruvinga 31, appeared before Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai charged with unlawful entry into premises on aggravating circumstances.

The matter was remanded to 8 September 2025 for bail application.

Ndovi and Taruvinga are represented by lawyer Tafadzwa Muvhami of Muvhami Attorney.

The State alleges that in July 2025 at approximately 8 a.m., Ndovi took advantage of the complainant’s trust.

She had left her doors unlocked and instructed him to assist clients who were coming to view the house she was selling.

Soon after she left, Ndovi ran to her office hoping to find cash but his attempt was in vain after he saw a functional CCTV system.

Ndovi allegedly went to the kitchen and shut off the main power to the house, which disabled the CCTV system in the office.

After searching the office and finding nothing, he left. The State further alleges that on August 3, 2025, while the complainant was away paying her husband’s medical bills, Ndovi used a spare key she’d left on a bedroom door to enter the office again.

Ndovi allegedly ransacked the office and found a cardboard box in a cupboard containing US$75,000. After taking the cash, he reportedly burned a small portion of the box to make the theft appear to be a fire-related accident before leaving with the money.

The complainant discovered the empty, burnt box on August 29, 2025, when she returned to get cash for her bills. Following a police report, detectives from ZRP Highlands arrested Ndovi at his workplace.

He confessed to stealing US$75,000 and giving it to his girlfriend Taruvinga for safekeeping.

After the couple went on a spending spree Taruvinga allegedly gave the remaining cash to her friend Sarah Muhiwa.

After her arrest, Taruvinga reportedly led detectives to her friend Sarah Muhiwa where US$15,000 was recovered.

Ndovi also helped detectives recover US$1,600 that he had sent to his sister in the United Kingdom, as well as a white Toyota Wish motor vehicle he had bought and repaired for US$6,000 in Glen Norah.