News / National
Truckload of fertilizer destined for Charamba's farm stolen
3 hrs ago | Views
A truck driver has vanished with a 26-tonne consignment of ammonium nitrate fertilizer meant for delivery to the Battlefields farm of Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet and Presidential Spokesperson, George Charamba, a Harare court heard on Monday.
The shocking theft was revealed as Sithabisile Mpofu (49) of Simbi Park, Redcliff, appeared before the Mbare Magistrates Court facing charges of theft of trust property.
According to prosecutors, Charamba's personal assistant, Tsitsi Chirwa, had contacted Mpofu to arrange transportation for the fertilizer, valued at US$17,160, from J & J in Mt Hampden, Harare, to Charamba's farm near Kwekwe.
Mpofu is said to have subcontracted truck driver Stewart Sanikwa, who collected the fertilizer on July 11.
The court heard that it had been arranged for Gift Nyamutowa, an employee in the President's Office, to escort the truck to Battlefields. However, Nyamutowa arrived late at the loading point, providing the driver with an opportunity to abscond.
"The truck driver, who is still at large, took advantage of the absence of the complainant (Nyamutowa) and drove the truck from the loading point without escort and disappeared with the load," the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told the court.
When Nyamutowa later proceeded to the farm, he discovered that the fertilizer consignment had never arrived. A police report was subsequently made.
Further investigations revealed that Mpofu had allegedly supplied false registration details of the truck used to transport the fertilizer.
Mpofu was remanded in custody, pending further legal proceedings.
The whereabouts of the missing fertilizer and the driver remain unknown, and police are continuing investigations to recover the stolen goods and apprehend Sanikwa.
The shocking theft was revealed as Sithabisile Mpofu (49) of Simbi Park, Redcliff, appeared before the Mbare Magistrates Court facing charges of theft of trust property.
According to prosecutors, Charamba's personal assistant, Tsitsi Chirwa, had contacted Mpofu to arrange transportation for the fertilizer, valued at US$17,160, from J & J in Mt Hampden, Harare, to Charamba's farm near Kwekwe.
Mpofu is said to have subcontracted truck driver Stewart Sanikwa, who collected the fertilizer on July 11.
The court heard that it had been arranged for Gift Nyamutowa, an employee in the President's Office, to escort the truck to Battlefields. However, Nyamutowa arrived late at the loading point, providing the driver with an opportunity to abscond.
"The truck driver, who is still at large, took advantage of the absence of the complainant (Nyamutowa) and drove the truck from the loading point without escort and disappeared with the load," the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told the court.
When Nyamutowa later proceeded to the farm, he discovered that the fertilizer consignment had never arrived. A police report was subsequently made.
Further investigations revealed that Mpofu had allegedly supplied false registration details of the truck used to transport the fertilizer.
Mpofu was remanded in custody, pending further legal proceedings.
The whereabouts of the missing fertilizer and the driver remain unknown, and police are continuing investigations to recover the stolen goods and apprehend Sanikwa.
Source - Zimlive
