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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Officials at the Grain Marketing Board’s Chinhoyi depot were on Monday forced to dig up a dump where several bags of maize that had been negligently spoiled by rain were allegedly dumped by workers to conceal the incident.

The GMB loss control department ordered the excavation after being informed that some officials working with junior workers conveniently stashed the maize spoiled by rains.

In an interview recently, a former GMB employee, Simon Chakazamba, who used to work as a stack builder, alleged that they were asked to dump the maize in the pit before it was screened.

“Loss control approached me about the rotten maize,” he said.

“Some of the maize was rotten. The maize could have been affected by the rains through seepage because of poor drainage and weevils.

“Such maize was supposed to be taken to the ramp for screening. However, before the maize was screened, we were asked by management to take it to the dump.”

According to sources, the maize is supposed to be screened, with the condemned maize going to the dump.

The matter reportedly came to light after the arrest of five people, including three security guards, on allegations of stealing maize at the depot.

The suspects indicated that some of the maize was buried underground, which prompted GMB loss control to conduct investigations.

The five, Paul Mwase, William Aaron, Busywork Karindi, Norman Kabwe and Obrian Muzondo, have since appeared before Chinhoyi magistrate Miss Jessy Kufa facing two counts of theft.

They were remanded out of custody to March 14, 2018 on $50 bail each.

Prosecutor Mrs Kesia Teveraishe alleged that the five stole maize from GMB on several occasions taking advantage of Mwase, Aaron and Karindi’s positions as security guards. The other two, Kabwe and Muzondo, are unemployed.

They would take out the maize through openings on the perimeter fence.

Depot manager Mrs Siphilisiwe Gawa refuted the allegations, saying the dumping of the bags containing spoiled maize and chaff was done above board.

“This is a rubbish bin where we dump the rubbish from the wagons which come here to load maize,” she said.

“When we find unusable spillages and sweepings we come and dump in this area. There are some investigations which were being carried out by the loss control department to ascertain allegations that we had buried maize underground.”