Harare – Former Cabinet Minister and Mashonaland West Senator Prisca Mupfumira has fallen victim to armed robbery, losing a US$70,000 Isuzu double cab in a brazen daylight heist.
The incident occurred on Monday, December 11th, in Harare’s Avondale West suburb, highlighting the rising crime rates in the country and adding another layer to the already complex narrative of Mupfumira’s public life.
The robbery unfolded around 7 am when Mupfumira’s driver, Edmore Mashasha, was sent to collect church uniforms from tailors on Ascot Road. Mashasha, behind the wheel of a royal blue Isuzu double cab, registration AGA 6969, was waiting for the gate to open when several men, armed with pistols, approached the vehicle.
According to police reports, “The accused persons pointed at the complainant’s head ordering him to shift from the drivers’ seat and he complied. One of the accused persons took charge of the vehicle while the other accused person blindfolded the complainant, tied his hands and pushed the complainant to the back seat,” the police statement read.
The robbers then sped off, later abandoning Mashasha at an undisclosed location along Mutoko Road.
Mashasha managed to free himself and contacted Mupfumira, who subsequently alerted the police. The Criminal Investigations Department’s Vehicle Theft Squad is currently leading the investigation into this audacious crime.
Mupfumira’s name is no stranger to headlines. In July 2019, she became the first minister to be arrested on corruption charges under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, facing accusations of misappropriating $95 million from the state pension fund. These charges, which involved allegations of abuse of office and corruptly concealing transactions, significantly impacted her public image.
Just four months ago, Mupfumira was unexpectedly removed from remand in a separate case where she was accused of using state funds to pay for her daughter’s wedding in South Africa. The charges included allegations of facilitating the payment of air tickets, accommodation, and transport for her aides, resulting in a loss of US$10,215 and ZAR113,539 to the ministry. She was jointly charged with her former secretary, Ngoni Masoka.
Admire Rubaya, representing Mupfumira, successfully applied for the refusal of further remand, leaving Mupfumira free from any pending criminal charges. The State attributed the delays to the COVID-19 lockdowns and the elevation of Mutevedzi.
Mupfumira’s legal battles have been further complicated by past claims of mental instability. In 2019, her lawyer, Charles Chinyama, disclosed that a renowned psychiatrist had deemed her unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues stemming from surgery and subsequent depression.
“On the last postponement, I indicated that Mupfumira requires adequate time to recover from the surgery she went through after she was granted bail and there is a letter from Dr. B Masunda showing that she is not yet fit to stand trial. Immediately after release from custody, she started suffering from mental depressions. Mangezi W, a renowned psychiatrist has recommended that any trial or proceedings be postponed for a period between 6 weeks to 3 months. So, on normal calculations, trial can only start in April next year. She is not mentally fit to stand trial or to give full instructions,” the lawyer stated at the time.
