Marondera detectives in court over stolen inputs

MARONDERA- The two police detectives from Marondera who took bribes to conceal
the theft of Presidential farming inputs recently appeared before a Harare magistrate,
Marehwanazvo Gofa.

The detectives – Nelson Chinembiri (36) and Maxwell Mukono (34), are both stationed
at Marondera Criminal Investigation Department.

Allegations were that on October 24 this year, Diana Dune, an Agritex officer in
Macheke, was issued with 75 x50kg bags of Compound D fertiliser and 75x10kg bags
of maize seed at Timbermills Grain Marketing Board (GMB) in Macheke.

The inputs were issued under the Presidential inputs scheme and were meant to be
distributed to farmers in ward 34, Macheke.

Instead of taking the inputs to ward 34, Dune connived with Solomon Makaka and sold
the fertiliser to a local businessman identified as Maxwell Takawira.

It was alleged that on November 3, the Chinembiri and Mukono received information
about the theft of the fertiliser and proceeded to Munamba business centre, where they
found the 75x50kg bags of fertiliser at Takawira’s shop.

Instead of seizing all the fertiliser, the duo demanded a bribe to cover up for the theft
and were allegedly given US$500 by Takawira.

They only reportedly seized 20x50kg bags and left behind 55x50kg bags before telling
Takawira to move the remaining 55 bags to a secure place to conceal evidence of the
theft.

It is alleged that on November 4 and 5, the duo arrested Makaka and Dune and took
them to Marondera Magistrates Court for remand placement. Later during the same
week, the accused persons met Takawira at N Richards shops in Marondera and
demanded more money and they were given US$100.

The State alleges that on a different occasion, the accused persons met Takawira at
Marondera Post Office and they were given US$130.
In total, they received US$730 from Takawira.

It is alleged that on November 14, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC)
officers received a tip-off about the incident and went to Munamba business centre to
investigate.

The ZACC officers recovered the remaining 55 bags from Takawira.