A HARARE woman allegedly stole her mentally challenged mother-in-law’s bank card and withdrew US$7 000 from the account.Rudo Vambe(23) of Number 47, Mutongotowe Road, Mufakose, Harare pleaded guilty to all 14 counts of unauthorised use or possession of credit or debit card on Monday when she appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira, as Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.
Vambe was being charged with contravening Section 167(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
It was alleged that Vambe who had been on the run since September 2014 finally surrendered herself to the police on December 17, 2016.
This was after Vambe stole a CABS bank card from Annie Buzuzi’s bedroom in Penhalonga on May 1, 2014 and used it to withdraw money from her account.
Buzuzi was her mother-in-law and is mentally challenged.
On different dates, Vambe went to CABS Mutare and withdrew money amounting to $7 409, 63 from Buzuzi’s bank account.
On September 1, 2014, the complainant’s guardian went to the bank with the intention of withdrawing money for the upkeep of the mentally challenged Buzuzi.
He was told that the account had no money, prompting the complainant to enquire from the CABS bank officials who then showed him Vambe’s photos through CCTV while she was withdrawing the money.
The matter was reported to the police and Vambe has been on the run ever since.
She was arrested last week after she surrendered herself to the police.
Asked on why she stole her mentally challenged mother-in-law’s bank card as well as withdrawing money from her bank account, Vambe said it was out of envy.
“Your Worship, I envied the way they were living and the fact that they had thousands of dollars that were staying unused in the bank. I am really sorry Your Worship,” she begged the court.
Vambe was remanded in custody to today (Friday) for sentencing.