Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A HARARE man employed as a manager at a local agro-inputs company was brought to court over the weekend on allegations of defrauding farmers by selling counterfeit fertilisers without nutrients, resulting in a loss of US$34 000 for one victim.
Blessing Mushonga, who works for Agro Zim Solutions, appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo, facing eight counts of fraud.
He has applied for bail and is awaiting the court’s decision.
Mushonga is accused of conspiring with three employees of Agro Zim Solutions, identified only as Ishmael, Vena and Tari, who are at large.
The group allegedly placed misleading advertisements on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Radio Zimbabwe, promoting the sale of fertilisers and agrochemicals.
One victim, Stainley Mafumo, a farmer from Calgry Farm in Christon Bank, Mazowe, responded to the advertisement and bought 150 tonnes of Compound D fertiliser valued US$66 066.
Mr Mafumo paid US$34 000 into a First Capital Bank account provided by Mushonga, with an agreement to settle the balance upon delivery.
However, Mushonga only delivered 619 bags of Compound D fertiliser and failed to supply the rest. He later refunded Mr Mafumo US$6 000.
Suspicious about the quality of the fertiliser, Mr Mafumo sent samples for testing to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development’s Department of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Specialist Services Directorate.
The results confirmed that the fertiliser was counterfeit, leaving him at a total loss of US$28 000.
Using similar tactics, Mushonga is accused of defrauding seven other victims; Simbarashe Manhambara, Langton Moyana, Jairos Samaneka, Elphas Mazvisiya, Munyaradzi Manomano, Takeover Dzimati and Edmore Mukaro.
The total financial loss across all eight cases amounts to US$35 781, with only US$6 000 recovered so far.
