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Truckload of Presidential Inputs vanishes in Tsholotsho
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A truck carrying Presidential Input Scheme supplies intended for Ward Seven in Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North, has gone missing, sparking suspicions of a diversion scam.
An extension officer from the Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) and a Grain Marketing Board (GMB) contract employee are reportedly on the run, with a police officer also implicated in the case.
The consignment, which included 400 bags of 50kg Urea fertiliser, 30 bags of 10kg sunflower seeds, and 100 bottles of 200ml Imidacloprid chemicals, departed from the GMB Tsholotsho depot on January 4, 2025, but never reached its destination in Patalika, Ward Seven.
A memo from the intelligence unit reveals that Ward Seven extension officer Ms. Kwanele Dube and GMB contract employee Mr. Langton Ncube disappeared shortly after the truck left the depot. It also implicates a police officer stationed at ZRP Tsholotsho, who allegedly accompanied the consignment.
"The inputs, intended for distribution on January 4, 2025, were diverted to an unknown destination. Investigations are complicated by the suspects' flight and the unsigned dispatcher book, which was reportedly full and not updated," the memo stated.
Tsholotsho district development coordinator, Mr. Aaron Gono, confirmed the incident, noting that the GMB depot manager only learned of the missing truck after being contacted by the President's Office on January 6.
Authorities have identified several procedural lapses that hinder recovery efforts. The missing dispatcher book has raised questions about oversight at the GMB depot, while the suspects' disappearance has slowed progress in the case.
"The whereabouts of Ms. Dube and Mr. Ncube are unknown. Investigations by ZRP are ongoing, and no arrests have been made," Mr. Gono said in a memo to Matabeleland North Acting Director of Local Government Services, Mr. Tapiwa Zivovoi.
The missing inputs have sparked frustration in Ward Seven, where residents rely on these resources for agricultural productivity. Stakeholders have called for improved monitoring and accountability to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The case underscores the need for stricter oversight in distributing Presidential Input Scheme supplies, ensuring that resources reach intended beneficiaries without delays or diversions.
An extension officer from the Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) and a Grain Marketing Board (GMB) contract employee are reportedly on the run, with a police officer also implicated in the case.
The consignment, which included 400 bags of 50kg Urea fertiliser, 30 bags of 10kg sunflower seeds, and 100 bottles of 200ml Imidacloprid chemicals, departed from the GMB Tsholotsho depot on January 4, 2025, but never reached its destination in Patalika, Ward Seven.
A memo from the intelligence unit reveals that Ward Seven extension officer Ms. Kwanele Dube and GMB contract employee Mr. Langton Ncube disappeared shortly after the truck left the depot. It also implicates a police officer stationed at ZRP Tsholotsho, who allegedly accompanied the consignment.
"The inputs, intended for distribution on January 4, 2025, were diverted to an unknown destination. Investigations are complicated by the suspects' flight and the unsigned dispatcher book, which was reportedly full and not updated," the memo stated.
Tsholotsho district development coordinator, Mr. Aaron Gono, confirmed the incident, noting that the GMB depot manager only learned of the missing truck after being contacted by the President's Office on January 6.
Authorities have identified several procedural lapses that hinder recovery efforts. The missing dispatcher book has raised questions about oversight at the GMB depot, while the suspects' disappearance has slowed progress in the case.
"The whereabouts of Ms. Dube and Mr. Ncube are unknown. Investigations by ZRP are ongoing, and no arrests have been made," Mr. Gono said in a memo to Matabeleland North Acting Director of Local Government Services, Mr. Tapiwa Zivovoi.
The missing inputs have sparked frustration in Ward Seven, where residents rely on these resources for agricultural productivity. Stakeholders have called for improved monitoring and accountability to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The case underscores the need for stricter oversight in distributing Presidential Input Scheme supplies, ensuring that resources reach intended beneficiaries without delays or diversions.
Source - the chronicle
