Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
FORMER Deputy Minister of Agriculture Douglas Karoro says he is being framed in a case concerning the alleged misappropriation of agricultural inputs from the Presidential Inputs Programme.
His claims follow testimony from a security guard who stated that he was coerced into writing false statements implicating Karoro.
Karoro, along with GMB assistant manager Lovejoy Ngowe, faces charges of fraud, which both deny.
Yesterday, they appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Taurai Manuwere.
A key witness, security guard Mr Manyara Manuwere, testified in court that he was instructed to falsely report that Karoro had collected seeds from the depot, despite not having been present.
He revealed that he was presented with documents suggesting Karoro was to collect the seeds, but noted that the former deputy minister never signed for them.
“I was told to record that a truck registration number AFE 6236 had collected the seeds, but I didn’t see the vehicle.
“I signed for it despite not seeing it because it had come from the office,” said Mr Manuwere.
Mr Manuwere’s credibility came under scrutiny due to conflicting statements regarding the timeline of the alleged events.
In court, he claimed the incident occurred on April 12, 2022, but his police statement indicated April 25 as the date.
When questioned, he suggested that the court should disregard his court testimony in favour of his police statement.
Prosecutors allege that Karoro received 5 000 vegetable combo kits from Valley Seeds Private Limited intended for GMB Mushumbi under the Presidential Inputs Programme, but converted them for personal use.
To cover their tracks, Karoro and Ngowe are accused of instructing Mr Manuwere and inputs’ clerk Mr Honest Nyathi to falsely document the consignment, misleadingly indicating it had been received and dispatched.
This alleged fraud is said to have caused GMB a loss of approximately US$25 000.
