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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter—

Another suspected Command Agriculture inputs theft suspect yesterday appeared in court and was granted $200 bail.

Panganai Marunga (39) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing fraud charges and was remanded to January 24.

His three accomplices have already appeared in court on similar allegations.

Two of them – Tafirenyika Mariga (43) and Hilda Masamba (34) – were denied bail, while Kumbirai Duku (36) was granted $200 bail.

The quartet is accused of stealing 33,6 tonnes of fertiliser and 30 litres of herbicides meant to benefit 51 farmers in Makonde district, Mashonaland West.

Prosecutor Ms Audrey Chogumaira told the court that the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development initiated the Command Agriculture Programme.

Targeted farmers in Makonde district in Mashonaland West were advised to come together in order for them to access Command Agriculture inputs.

It is alleged that 51 farmers in that district formed themselves into a group, which they named Chimurenga.

On December 5 last year, the group was instructed by Agritex Chinhoyi to collect 33,6 metric tonnes of Compound D fertiliser and Atrazin herbicides from Harare.

The court heard that four days later, Christopher Manuwere, Petros Mutenga and the group’s secretary, Christopher Tadzimirwa, went to Windmill in Harare to collect the farming inputs.

The fertiliser was worth $16 800.

The trio sought to hire a truck to hire and was referred to Mariga, who allegedly met Manuwere at Windmill and charged them $650 for the trip to Shubhara Farm in Makonde.

A deposit of $400 was paid, while the balance of $250 was to be paid upon delivery and Manuwere was issued with a delivery note indicating the details of the driver.

In connivance with Masamba, Mariga contacted Manuwere and advised him to wait for them at Westgate roundabout along the Harare-Chirundu Highway where he would pick him up on their way to Makonde.

It is alleged that Mariga, Masamba and the truck driver left Windmill with the loaded truck.

Mariga later sent $14 to Manuwere via EcoCash and ordered him to hire a taxi, while advising him that he had gone to Banket along the same route and the truck was on its way.

In the meantime, Mariga and his accomplices diverted the truck to Murehwa where the consignment was sold. Marunga, who is related to Duku, allegedly sold the fertiliser consign- ment.

Tadzimirwa waited for the truck along the Harare-Chirundu Road, but when it did not appear he proceeded to make a report to the police on December 10.

About $17 350 was lost and nothing was recovered.