Grace Mugabe’s Former Gardener Arrested For Stealing More Than Half a Million USD From Blue Roof

Grace Mugabe’s former gardener was arrested along with three other workers who were employed at the Blue Roof mansion for stealing property and cutlery worth more than half a million United States dollars.

Court Proceedings

According to prosecutors, the suspects, Allen Chinamonya, Danmore Chinamonya , Samson Karonga, and Brighton Bunganirwa were once employed as gardeners and electricians.

“Allen was formerly employed at the Blue Roof Presidential residence as a groundsman and later as a driver from 2004 to 2022,” stated prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti. “Danmore was also formerly employed as a groundsman and later as a driver during the same period, while Karonga was still employed as an electrician at Blue Roof.”

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Breaching Secure Containers to Steal Property

The court heard that in 2018, Grace Mugabe had brought 11 containers filled with various household items to the Blue Roof. Mutsokoti told the court that Grace secured the property by locking the container doors. Despite this, the quartet allegedly broke the padlocks between 2018 and 2024. The prosecutor said the four suspects gained entry to the containers and stole various household items, television sets, clothes, cutlery, and bath towels, going unnoticed.

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Stolen Goods Recovered from Suspects’ Homes

Grace Mugabe discovered the theft on May 22 when she went to select artifacts for the African Liberation Museum. The court heard that some locks were broken, and various items were missing. After a police investigation, suspects were arrested, and stolen goods were recovered, including clothing and a television. The former First Lady identified some property, worth an estimated $500,000, with $2,000 worth recovered so far. The quartet will make a bail application today, facing charges of theft from the former first family’s residence.