Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande and Lovemore Kadzura
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) this week arrested Makoni Rural District Council Ward 11 councillor, Linda Ellah Chishamiso and two others for allegedly stealing Presidential Scheme farming inputs worth US$12 800 meant for distribution to farmers.
Chishamiso (39) of Plot 25, Lot 1, Chimbi, was arrested together with former Grain Marketing Board (GMB) contract worker, Enita Choga of Vengere in Rusape and an Agritex officer, Crispen Makoni of Plot 23, Devonia Village, Rusape.
The fourth suspect — Felix Kambewu, a police special constabulary — who was supposed to provide security for the inputs and ensure that they reach their intended destination, is now on the run. Chishamiso, Choga and Makoni, who were represented by Ms Tanaka Chikuni, of Mutungura and Associates, were on Wednesday not asked to plead when they appeared before Mutare provincial magistrate, Ms Annie Ndiraya, facing theft charges.
They were remanded out of custody on US$200 bail each.
They will back in the dock on March 5, 2025 for routine remand.
Mr Talent Nyamuzuwe prosecuted.
The complainant in the case is the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), which was represented by the regional enterprise risk officer for Manicaland, Mr Munyaradzi Chitenga.
The court heard that on January 22, Choga and Makoni were tasked with escorting a truck carrying 400x50kg bags of fertiliser to Ward 11 for distribution.
The fertiliser consisted of 199x50kg bags of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate and 201x50kg bags of Ammonium Nitrate.
However, instead of following instructions and proceed to Ward 11, Chishamiso, in collusion with Choga and Makoni, allegedly diverted the consignment to a garage in Rusape owned by Olasi Mwanza.
“On January 22, 2025, Choga, Makoni and Felix Kambewu, a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police Special Constabulary, who is still at large, were tasked to escort truck (Registration Number AGJ5781) to Ward 11, carrying 400x50kgs of fertiliser (199x50kgs Calcium Ammonium Nitrate and 201x50kgs Ammonium Nitrate) for distribution in the ward.
“Instead of proceeding to Ward 11 as per instructions, Chishamiso acting in cahoots with Choga, Makoni and Kambewu, connived and diverted the consignment to a garage in Rusape belonging to Olasi Mwanza, and transferred the consignment into a white truck and took it to an unknown destination.
“GMB loss control department got information about this diversion of the fertilisers and reported the matter to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission,” said Mr Talent Nyamuzuwe.
Investigations conducted revealed that the accused offered to sell 100 bags of fertiliser to Thomas Kanyongo for US$20 per bag, but he only managed to purchase 50 bags due to financial constraints.
Mr Nyamuzuwe said the accused persons gave Mwanza five bags of fertiliser as payment for using his premises to offload the fertilisers.
“The accused persons gave five bags of fertiliser to Olasi Mwanza as payment for the usage of his premises. Further investigations revealed that four bags were delivered to an unknown destination by Choga and Makoni using a truck belonging to the latter. The rest of the fertiliser was not accounted for. The value of the stolen fertiliser is US$12 800, and nothing was recovered,” said Mr Nyamuzuwe.
Online Reporter