Man accused of selling fake fer­til­iser

A manager at Agro Zim Solutions, Blessing Mushonga, appeared before Harare Provincial Magistrate Ruth Moyo over allegations of defrauding farmers by selling counterfeit fertilisers, causing substantial financial losses. Mushonga faces eight counts of fraud and has applied for bail while awaiting the court's decision.

He is accused of conspiring with three other company employees, identified only as Ishmael, Vena, and Tari, who remain at large. The group allegedly promoted the sale of fertilisers and agrochemicals through misleading advertisements on ZBC Radio Zimbabwe.

One victim, Stainley Mafumo, a farmer from Calgry Farm in Mazowe, purchased 150 tonnes of Compound D fertiliser valued at US$66,066. Mafumo paid US$34,000 into a bank account provided by Mushonga, with the balance due upon delivery. Mushonga only delivered 619 bags and later refunded US$6,000. Tests by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development confirmed the fertiliser was counterfeit, leaving Mafumo with a loss of US$28,000.

Mushonga allegedly used similar schemes to defraud seven other victims—Simbarashe Manhambara, Langton Moyana, Jairos Samaneka, Elphas Mazvisiya, Munyaradzi Manomano, Takeover Dzimati, and Edmore Mukaro. The total financial loss across all eight cases is estimated at US$781,000, with only a portion recovered so far.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about fraudulent agricultural inputs in Zimbabwe, which jeopardize farmers' livelihoods and threaten food security.