A 15-year-old Shurugwi girl and her father reportedly connived and stole US$12 500 from a woman who was looking after her.

Masvingo Mirror reports that RTGS14 000 was also stolen.

Moses Munikwa, 41, and his daughter who is doing Form 1 appeared before Shurugwi Magistrate Percy Mukumba facing charges of theft and unlawful entry into Elizabeth Nkala’s (72) house.

Nkala who runs some businesses and has buildings that she rents out is related to the two and was staying with accused’s daughter including paying her fees at Booms College in Shurugwi.

The State  alleges that the girl realised that Nkala kept a lot of money in the house and she told her father about this and the two connived to steal it.

From February 2021 up to end of March 2021 the complainant collected rentals from her shops and kept in different places in her house.

On April 4, 2021 at about 930am when the complainant and the girl left the house for church, the father is said to have been left hiding under some steps inside the house by her daughter.

After church the complainant got home first as the girl remained in town looking for bread and on getting there discovered that her bedroom was upside down with the key lock broken.

She realised that US$12 500 and RTGS$14 000 RTGS which was in a purse was missing. Her son Maxwell reported the case to Police leading to the arrest of the accused who was nabbed in Epworth.