5 defraud govt of fertiliser, seed

Chonono (28) and Enock Chidyamudungwe (28) were each granted US$200 bail when they appeared before Karoi resident magistrate Mr Robson Finsin charged with fraud last week.
It is the state’s case that on February 21 this year Mutava and Ziyambi who are social welfare officers stationed at Karoi allegedly compiled a fictitious list of vulnerable people for ward 22.
The duo purported that it was the genuine list of the handicapped, elderly and orphans qualifying for the assistance programme from the Government.   The two later allegedly connived with the other three accomplices and misrepresented to Mkwichi GMB depot where they managed to acquire 600kg of seed and 550kg of compound D fertiliser using the fictitious vouchers. After Chidyamudungwe and Chonono loaded the loot into a truck the five took the consignment to one Obert Hotera’s homestead where they stashed it in a room.
Acting on a tip-off, police swooped on the homestead the following day and recovered all the loot valued at US$1 065.  Also recovered were the fake vouchers.  As part of their bail conditions the five were ordered to stay at their given addresses, report at CID Karoi every Tuesday and Friday between 6am and 6pm, not to visit their work places and not to interfere with witnesses until their case is finalised.