News / National
Command inputs abused
28 Jan 2018 at 08:05hrs | Views
An Agricultural Extension Officer in Filabusi and two villagers have been arrested on charges of abusing command agriculture inputs worth over $4 000 which had been allocated to 71 farmers in Insiza.
Mthokozisi Dladla (44), an extension worker with the ministry of Agriculture, Joyce Mthunzi (64), a villager at Siyabalandela and Morgan Bhebhe (49), the chairperson of Phelandaba North section at Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme, pleaded not guilty to theft when they appeared before Filabusi resident magistrate Mzingaye Moyo on Thursday.
They were remanded out of custody to tomorrow for trial.
Prosecutor Jethro Mada told the court that on November 29 2016 Bhebhe signed for and received 18 200kg of Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser.
He, together with Mthunzi, took the fertiliser to Silalatshani where they allegedly met Dladla to distribute the fertilisers to farmers under the command agriculture programme.
The fertiliser was meant for 71 farmers who had 26 hectares of land under maize crops and it was supposed to be distributed at the rate of 450kgs per hectare.
The three allegedly distributed the fertiliser and there was a surplus of 6 500kg which they allegedly diverted to their own use.
Mthokozisi Dladla (44), an extension worker with the ministry of Agriculture, Joyce Mthunzi (64), a villager at Siyabalandela and Morgan Bhebhe (49), the chairperson of Phelandaba North section at Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme, pleaded not guilty to theft when they appeared before Filabusi resident magistrate Mzingaye Moyo on Thursday.
They were remanded out of custody to tomorrow for trial.
Prosecutor Jethro Mada told the court that on November 29 2016 Bhebhe signed for and received 18 200kg of Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser.
He, together with Mthunzi, took the fertiliser to Silalatshani where they allegedly met Dladla to distribute the fertilisers to farmers under the command agriculture programme.
The fertiliser was meant for 71 farmers who had 26 hectares of land under maize crops and it was supposed to be distributed at the rate of 450kgs per hectare.
The three allegedly distributed the fertiliser and there was a surplus of 6 500kg which they allegedly diverted to their own use.
Source - the standard
