News / National
5 in trouble over botched chicken deal
08 Dec 2014 at 08:57hrs | Views
A five-member gang landed in murky water after allegedly selling broiler "reject" chicks that later died to a prominent Ruwa businessman and commercial farmer Joseph Mutangadura and his colleague Austin Muchibwa for more than US$6 000.
Tawanda Matimura (34), Darlington Dandazara (29), Thompson Njawaya (31), Nigel Hungwe (29) and Tungamira Njawaya (32), appeared before a Harare Court facing fraud charges.
The five who allegedly sold broiler "reject" chicks, disguised as "road runners" to Messrs Mutangadura and Muchibwa were released on US$300 bail apiece and remanded to December 19.
The State alleged that on September 29, Muchibwa saw an advert placed in a local paper, advertising day old indigenous chicks (road runners).
He subsequently responded to the advert by phoning Matimura who informed him that each bird was going for US$0,60, the court heard.
On October 4, Matimura proceeded to Muchibwa's home in Waterfalls, where he showed a sample of some of the birds which had been reared for four weeks.
The court heard Muchibwa was satisfied with the breed and immediately placed an order of 5 000 chicks that were later delivered on October 10 by two of the five.
The court further heard that Muchibwa paid US$2 800 cash and went on to transfer US$200 into Matimura's EcoCash account.
However, after a week, 4 200 chicks of the delivered consignment died under unclear circumstances, prompting him to consult animal health experts.
An examination on the dead chicks revealed that they were actually broiler "reject" chicks, and not indigenous as alleged by the five.
The court heard that Mutangadura also placed an order for 7 100 birds from the five and paid US$3 950 for the delivery.
After a month, 6 700 of the birds died, and after consulting his friend the pair came to a conclusion that they had been duped.
The duo reported the matter, leading to the arrest of the five
Tawanda Matimura (34), Darlington Dandazara (29), Thompson Njawaya (31), Nigel Hungwe (29) and Tungamira Njawaya (32), appeared before a Harare Court facing fraud charges.
The five who allegedly sold broiler "reject" chicks, disguised as "road runners" to Messrs Mutangadura and Muchibwa were released on US$300 bail apiece and remanded to December 19.
The State alleged that on September 29, Muchibwa saw an advert placed in a local paper, advertising day old indigenous chicks (road runners).
He subsequently responded to the advert by phoning Matimura who informed him that each bird was going for US$0,60, the court heard.
On October 4, Matimura proceeded to Muchibwa's home in Waterfalls, where he showed a sample of some of the birds which had been reared for four weeks.
The court further heard that Muchibwa paid US$2 800 cash and went on to transfer US$200 into Matimura's EcoCash account.
However, after a week, 4 200 chicks of the delivered consignment died under unclear circumstances, prompting him to consult animal health experts.
An examination on the dead chicks revealed that they were actually broiler "reject" chicks, and not indigenous as alleged by the five.
The court heard that Mutangadura also placed an order for 7 100 birds from the five and paid US$3 950 for the delivery.
After a month, 6 700 of the birds died, and after consulting his friend the pair came to a conclusion that they had been duped.
The duo reported the matter, leading to the arrest of the five
Source - The Herald
