admin
Senior Court Reporter
THE trial of suspended deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Douglas Karoro and Grain Marketing Board Mushumbi Pools depot assistant manager, Lovejoy Ngowe, failed to take-off yesterday after the former indicated that he was not furnished with all documents to prepare for the hearing.
Karoro and Ngowe are charged with two counts of fraud.
They allegedly misappropriated agricultural inputs under the Presidential Inputs Scheme worth US$43 000, which were meant to benefit farmers in Mbire constituency.
Through lawyer Mr Malvern Mapako, who was standing in for Mr Admire Rubaya, Karoro applied that the matter be heard on another date, as he was not furnished with all papers to prepare for his trial.
The State led by Mr Ephraim Zinyandu told the court that he was ready for trial and had since prepared all the necessary documents for Karoro and Ngowe to prepare for their hearing.
Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa allowed the postponement of the matter to November 30 for trial.
It is alleged on March 7, Ngowe received 30 050 tonnes of maize seed under the Presidential Input Programme which was meant to benefit Mbire constituency.
Upon receipt of the inputs, Ngowe was supposed to safe keep the seed until distribution.
Allegations are that between March 10 and 25, Karoro and Ngowe planned to defraud GMB Mushumbi Pools Depot of the said maize seed.
Karoro allegedly went to collect the seed from Ngowe on separate occasions using his cars and was issued with Goods Dispatched Voucher, misrepresenting to GMB clerk and security guards that they were taking the maize seed to the needy in the constituency.
They would then convert them into their own use.
On June 1, Ngowe was allegedly found in possession of 10x2kg Seedco SC301 maize seed and 10x5kgsSeedco SC513 maize seed in his house at GMB Mushumbi pools.
GMB is said to have lost US$18 030 in the process.
On a date unknown to the prosecutor, but during the month of March 2022, Karoro and Ngowe, acting in common purpose, met at Mahuwe Shopping Centre, Mushumbi Pools, and hatched a plan to defraud GMB Mushumbi Pools.
On March 23, Karoro allegedly received 5 000 Vegetable Combo kits comprising of 2.5g rape, onion, texas grano, carrots nantes from Valley Seed Private Limited.
He was supposed to hand them over to GMB Mushumbi Depot under the Presidential Input Programme.
Karoro and Ngowe allegedly failed to deliver the vegetable combo kits to GMB Mushumbi Pool and converted them to their own use.
Ngowe also allegedly went on further to order GMB Mushumbi inputs clerk, Honesty Nyathi, and security guard, Manyara Manuwere, to fraudulently book the consignment in the goods received voucher, goods dispatch voucher, gate book and stack register to appear as if the consignment had been received at GMB Mushumbi and despatched to Karoro.
The State claims the consignment was never physically received at GMB Mushumbi depot.
GMB lost US$25 000 in the process, according to the State.
Online Reporter