Police Officer Allegedly Defrauds ARDA Of US$4,700 In Fertiliser
Gideon Msambakurima, a 39-year-old police officer stationed in Karoi, was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for allegedly defrauding the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) of over US$4,700 in fertiliser supplies.
Msambakurima joined the ARDA Joint Venture Farming programme and was allocated 8 metric tons of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser for his 20-hectare maize plot.
However, he is accused of using the same batch number to fraudulently obtain an additional 6 metric tons of Windmill Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser, despite having already used up his original allocation.
Msambakurima appeared before Provincial Magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe at the Chinhoyi Magistrates Court on 18 February 2025, where he was granted US$200 bail. His next court appearance is set for 4 March 2025.
Brian Machekera is prosecuting the case on behalf of the State.
In a related case, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) arrested three people, including a ZANU PF councillor, for allegedly stealing and selling Presidential agricultural inputs.
Chishamiso Linda Ellah, the Councillor for Ward 11 in Makoni District, along with Enita Choga, a former Grain Marketing Board (GMB) employee, and Crispen Makoni, appeared before Mutare Magistrate Annie Ndiraya, facing charges of theft under Section 113 of the Criminal Law Codification.
The trio is accused of conspiring to divert 400 bags of 50kg fertiliser, worth US$12,000, which they allegedly sold to buyers in Rusape.
They were granted US$200 bail and remanded to appear in court at a later date. Talent Nyamuzuwe prosecuted on behalf of the State.
