AGRICULTURE, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Douglas Karoro, who spent the weekend behind bars, is expected back in court today to file his bail application.
Karoro appeared before a Harare magistrate on Saturday,
together with his alleged accomplices Jeremy Phiri and Dean Dzimunya.
The trio is accused of defrauding GMB of 700 bags of
fertiliser, US$18 000 worth of maize seed and 5 000 vegetable seed kits from
the Presidential inputs schemes between March and April.
According to the State, Karoro committed the offence in
connivance with Mushumbi Depot acting manager, Lovejoy Ngowe, who appeared in
court on Friday.
The State alleges that the abused inputs came from Mushumbi
Pools Depot in Mbire, Mashonaland Central Province, and were intended for
farmers.
It is alleged that last month, Karoro approached Phiri and
told him that he was looking for buyers for 700 bags of Compound D fertiliser
at US$16 per 50kg bag.
Phiri is said to have contacted Widdorn Chiodza, who was
interested in buying the fertiliser.
On April 21, Phiri, according to the State, met Chiodza,
who handed over US$10 700, almost the full price.
It is alleged Phiri then took this money to Karoro, who
told him that the fertiliser was at GMB Mushumbi Depot.
Karoro allegedly contacted Ngowe, stating that he would
send trucks to collect his fertiliser.
Chiodza allegedly went with his three trucks and collected
the fertiliser and offloaded it at his home.
It is alleged that Zimunya called Chiodza to return the
fertiliser, saying the deal had taken a twist.
Chiodza allegedly refused and only agreed after he was
visited by Mugove Chidamba, who then collected only 400 bags of the fertiliser.
Karoro and Chidamba are alleged to have decided to swap the
fertiliser with Ammonium Nitrate at Aspindale GMB.
Chidamba allegedly sourced another 300 bags of Compound D
from Farm and City to make them 700x50kgs.
Aspindale GMB Chain Supply manager, Obert Zhoya, refused to
do the swap, saying the documentation was wrong.
Zhoya is alleged to have agreed after being convinced by
Karoro, but under a condition that they did a depot to depot transfer.
It is alleged that in March, Ngowe, together with Karoro,
committed fraud by allegedly cheating people in Mbizo of the maize seeds
provided for them under the Presidential Input programme.
The two did not deliver 5000 vegetable combo kits to their
destination and kept them for their personal use. H Metro
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