CHARAMBA'S 26 TONNES OF FERTILISER STOLEN

A businessman from Kwekwe has appeared in court after she was implicated in a theft of 26 tonnes of ammonium nitrate belonging to the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba.

Sithabisile Mpofu (49) was not asked to plead to theft of trust property when she appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo yesterday and was released on US$400 bail.

As part of her bail conditions, Mpofu was ordered not to interfere with witnesses, to surrender her travel documents and to report once a week at CID Southerton police station.

Allegations are that on July 10, Moyo entered into a trust agreement with Mr Charamba through his assistant, Ms Tsitsi Chirwa.

The agreement required her to transport 26 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser from J & J Company at Windmill, St Mannocks, Mt Hampden, Harare to Subdivision 2, Elephant Hills Farm – Mr Charamba’s property at Battlefields near Kwekwe.

Prosecutors alleged that on July 11, Mpofu provided Ms Chirwa with a truck horse affixed with registration number AFQ 4733 and a trailer with registration number ACE 6741 being driven by her accomplice Stewart Sanikwa who is at large.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, arrangements were that Mr Gift Nyamutowa would accompany the truck, but he arrived late

The truck was loaded with the bags of fertiliser and left the warehouse headed for Kwekwe on the same day.

“The truck driver took advantage of Mr Nyamutowa’s absence and drove off without an escort,” the NPA said.

It is alleged that Mpofu failed to deliver the consignment as agreed and the driver disappeared with it.

“When Mr Nyamutowa arrived at the farm, he found the fertiliser had not been delivered and reported the incident to the police,” said the NPA.

The value of the stolen property is worth US$17 000 and nothing was recovered. Herald

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