Tobacco farmer to fork out close to US$1 000 to avoid jail

Harare, (New Ziana) – A tobacco farmer from Hurungwe, Mashonaland West, has been ordered to fork out close to US$1 000 to avoid going to jail for side marketing his tobacco, the National Prosecution Authority (NPAZ) has reported.

Augustine Nyamadzawo (38) from Nkani Village, Chief Nematombo, Magunje was convicted by a Karoi Magistrates’ Court for contravening the Farmers Stop Order Act related to “dealing with the whole or part of any crop or any proceeds thereof in such a manner as to avoid or to be likely to avoid the due payment of any prescribed costs, addressee’s fees registered stop-orders or special stop-orders relating to such crop.”

Nyamadzawo was initially sentenced to six months imprisonment but the court conditionally suspended four months of the jail for five years. Another month was suspended on condition he restituted the complainant US$829 by July 1 and the remaining two months on condition he paid a fine of US$150 immediately.

Sometime in July 2023, Nyamadzawo entered into a contractual agreement with Boost Hail and Cotton Private Limited, under the Farming Input Credit Scheme where he undertook to grow tobacco and received the necessary inputs from the company. He also agreed to work under the supervision of an agronomist appointed by the company.

Upon harvest, Nyamadzawo was contractually bound to sell the entire tobacco crop he cultivated using the inputs provided by the company to the company according to the agreed terms.

However, Nyamadzawo failed to fulfill his obligation and instead delivered the crop elsewhere. The company was prejudiced of US$829 and nothing was recovered.

New Ziana