Businesswoman implicated in theft of 26 tonnes of fertiliser 

Zvikomborero Parafini 

A BUSINESSWOMAN from Kwekwe has appeared in court after she was implicated in a theft of trust property case involving 26 tonnes of ammonium nitrate.

Sithabisile Mpofu (49) was not asked to plead when she appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo and was released on US$400 bail.

As part of her bail conditions, Mpofu was ordered not to interfere with witnesses, to surrender her travel documents and to report once a week at CID Southerton police station.

Allegations are that on July 10, Moyo entered into a trust agreement with the complainant Tsitsi Chirwa.

The agreement required her to transport 26 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertilizer from J & J Company at Windmill, St Mannocks, Mt Hampden, Harare to Subdivision 2, Elephant Hills Farm Battlefields, Kwekwe.

Prosecutors alleged that on July 11, Mpofu provided Chirwa with a truck horse affixed with registration number AFQ 4733 and a trailer with registration number ACE 6741 being driven by her accomplice Stewart Sanikwa who is at large.

The truck was loaded with the bags of fertiliser and left the warehouse headed for Kwekwe on the same day.

It is alleged that Mpofu failed to deliver the consignment as agreed and the driver disappeared with it.

The value of the stolen property is worth US$17 000 and nothing was recovered.