adminFrom Noah Pito in Hurungwe
A 61-year-old Karoi farmer and her son were last week convicted of illegally selling inputs they received under Government’s Command Agriculture programme.
Agness Charumbira of Plot 6, Loughry Farm, and her son, Ezra Charumbira (22), appeared before Karoi magistrate Mr Sam Chitumwa charged with the unlawful sale of agricultural inputs.
The pair has to pay a $40 fine each or risk spending 10 days in prison.
Charumbira and her son were arrested on March 7 following a visit to Karoi by the National Command Agriculture Investigation Team, which had received a tip-off that some farmers were selling the inputs they got from Government on the black market.
It is believed that members of the investigating team posed as potential buyers of the inputs, which prompted Ezra to offer them 12 bags of Urea, which he had taken from their farm.
Ezra was reportedly arrested while price negotiations for the product were underway.
After his arrest, Ezra implicated his mother, leading to her arrest.
Charumbira and her son were contracted under the Command Agriculture Scheme for the 2017/18 season and received seed maize, herbicides, Compound D and Urea.
The inputs were inscribed with a “Not for Sale” sign, indicating that they were not supposed to be sold.
Prosecutor Mr Webster Dimingu appeared for the State.
Online Reporter