Zvishavane, a town was thrown into a state of shock recently after a 16-year-old housemaid allegedly kidnapped her employer’s eight-month-old baby and stole money from her employer. The housemaid, Evidence Hove, who hails from the Mushandike Resettlement Scheme in Masvingo, was apprehended by the police and is currently in custody.
According to the ZRP Midlands provincial spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, the incident occurred on April 10, 2023, a day after Hove was employed by her employer, Memory Sibanda, to work as a domestic maid. Sibanda had left Hove in charge of her four children, including the eight-month-old baby, while she went out. The maid allegedly stole $60 from Sibanda’s home and absconded with the infant, leaving the other children behind.
Upon discovering that her baby was missing and that her maid had also disappeared, Sibanda reported the incident to the police, who swiftly launched a search for Hove and the baby. The police arrested Hove two days later in a village located in Sandawana, with the baby in her custody.
Following Hove’s arrest, the police urged members of the public to employ housemaids with traceable records and to have their maids vetted by the police before employing them. This service is provided for free at any police station. Inspector Mahoko also implored parents and guardians not to leave their children under the custody of strangers.
