ZANU PF official Kudzanai Chipanga appeared before Rusape Magistrates Court on Tuesday, facing charges of theft.
Chipanga, a former ZANU PF Youth Secretary, is accused of stealing Presidential Pfumvudza inputs worth US$11,200 from the Department of Agriculture Research and Extension (AREX) in Makoni District.
He appeared before Rusape regional magistrate Barbra Mateko, who remanded him on US$400 bail to January 30.
Prosecutors did not oppose the granting of bail to the ZANU PF official, unlike opposition members who are often held in pre-trial detention for extended periods, sometimes up to 12 months or more.
Chipanga was ordered to reside at his Wakefield Farm in Headlands, report on Monday and Friday every week at Rusape Rural Police Station until the end of his trial, and not interfere with witnesses or investigations.
He was represented by Mutare lawyer Chris Ndlovu of Gonese and Ndlovu Legal Practitioners, while Event Dhliwayo prosecuted.
Allegations are that on November 27, AREX received 200x50kg bags of ZFC Compound D fertilisers, 100x5kg of SC649 seed maize, and 500 packets of vegetable seed from the Grain Marketing Board Rusape Depot, meant for distribution in Ward 38 in Headlands under the Pfumvudza programme.
The inputs were loaded into a MAN truck (AFJ 6795), driven by Trust Mangwanda, who ferried the inputs to Lawrencedale Primary School, where there was a ZANU PF star rally.
Dhliwayo alleged that after the rally, Chipanga and his alleged accomplices, Innocent Magutakuona, Michael Musekiwa, and Julius Chipfupa, who are still at large, told Noria Gashu of AREX that they would share and distribute the inputs to the people, claiming they had sourced the inputs.
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A ZANU PF official named Kudzanai Chipanga was arrested for stealing materials meant for a farming program. He allegedly took items worth US$11,200. Chipanga was given bail by the court to return later for trial. He was ordered to stay at his farm, report to the police twice a week, and not interfere with the case. Prosecutors did not object to bail, unlike with opposition members who are often detained for long periods. Chipanga and others allegedly took the materials after a political rally. His trial will continue in January.

ZANU PF Official, Kudzanai Chipanga, Arrested

The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have launched an operation to combat the misappropriation of farming inputs meant to be distributed to smallholder farmers countrywide under the Presidential Inputs Programme.
GMB chief executive officer Edson Badarai told <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/22-arrested-over-pfumvudza-inputs-theft">State media</a> that nearly 90 tonnes of fertiliser have been recovered while 22 arrests have been made and five armed robberies involving Presidential inputs have been recorded since distribution began.
Some of the criminals are reportedly diverting the inputs for resale on the black market. Said Badarai:
<blockquote>
The GMB is carrying out a blitz in conjunction with law enforcement agencies to recover inputs being sold on the black market.
The blitz has so far led to the recovery of 89.4 tonnes of fertilisers that had been diverted to the black market from the Presidential Inputs Programme.
The blitz is meant to destroy the market for the inputs and make them unfavourable to dealers…
Five cases of robbery involving inputs have been recorded, bringing a new dimension to criminality, which in previous years only involved unscrupulous beneficiaries.
To prevent such incidents, inputs are accompanied from GMB depots to the wards by a team, including GMB staff, extension officers and members of the ZRP.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, five suspected thieves were arrested recently after they stole agricultural inputs worth US$30 000 from a Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot.
The gang of five reportedly stormed a GMB depot at Charandura in Chirumanzu and stole 540 bags of compound D fertilizer and 17 bags of shelled ground nuts which they then loaded into their truck.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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