N Richards cashier steals US$35 250
Police in Rusape are looking for a cashier from N Richards Wholesalers, Tawanda Manzvinde (34), who is accused of stealing US$35,250 during the Easter holiday. The theft has revealed serious weaknesses in both the company’s internal checks and the security procedures used by an outside security company.
Manzvinde is now on the run and is believed to have left the country. The CID has increased its efforts to find him and is asking the public for help. A US$2,500 reward is being offered for any information that leads to his arrest.
Sources say that Manzvinde’s job included collecting cash from till operators at the end of each day and handing it over to Fawcett Security for safe keeping before it was taken to the bank.
On April 16, 2025, Manzvinde allegedly started his plan. He collected US$13,217, but instead of putting the real cash in the box, he filled it with pieces of bond paper cut to look like money. He then gave the sealed box to Fawcett Security, who reportedly did not check what was inside.
From April 17 to 21, he is said to have repeated this trick, collecting another US$22,033 and putting bond paper inside sealed boxes, which were again accepted without being checked.
Manzvinde was last seen on April 21. When he didn’t show up for work the next day, his supervisor, Mr Brian Mukwenha, became worried. He called Manzvinde’s wife, Mrs Rumbidzai Madondo (31), who said she hadn’t seen him since the day before.
Mukwenha then asked Fawcett Security to return the sealed boxes. When they were opened in front of him, they found only bond paper inside — confirming that the money had been stolen.
The case was immediately reported to Rusape Central Police Station, and a full investigation began under case number CRB 6292029. So far, no one has been arrested and the stolen money has not been found.
Police are asking anyone who has information about Manzvinde’s location to report it to the nearest police station. N Richards Wholesalers has repeated its offer of a US$2,500 reward for any useful information that leads to his arrest and the return of the stolen money.
This case has raised serious concerns about how both the company and the security firm handle and protect large sums of money.
~The Herald
