Mutare Woman Jailed For Stealing US$16,000 From Employer

A 25-year-old woman has been sentenced to an effective two years in prison after stealing more than US$16,000 from her employer, Dollar Pantry, in Mutare.

Michellene Muzenda, who was employed as a supervisor, reportedly manipulated the company’s daily cash sales records between November 2025 and March 2026 to conceal the missing funds.

The fraud came to light on March 17, 2026, when the company conducted checks and discovered discrepancies between its sales records and information obtained from its automated teller machines.

Further investigations established that Muzenda had used part of the stolen money to purchase stock for her own business operating at Tinmark Mall in Mutare.

Police managed to recover US$700 in cash, together with various goods believed to have been acquired using the stolen funds.

The court initially sentenced Muzenda to six years in prison, but portions of the sentence were suspended, leaving her with an effective two-year jail term.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe has warned employees against engaging in fraudulent activities, stressing that workplace theft and fraud will attract prosecution.