GMB Chipinge worker up for stealing Presidential fertilizer

Fungayi Munyoro-Chingaira

CHIPINGE- A Grain Marketing Board (GMB) worker based at Chipinge Deport has appeared at the local court facing charges of stealing 34 bags of fertilizer from the Presidential Inputs Scheme.

Tinashe Mafashu (49) who is a stores controller is refuting the allegations and arguing that the bags could have been loaded mistakenly loaded in delivery vehicles. 

 Mafashu appeared before Chipinge Magistrate, Elizabeth Hanzi this week facing theft charges. He was remanded out of custody.

Prosecutor, Delia Kathazile said from May 17, 2021, Compound D fertilizer deliveries were made to GMB Chipinge under the 2021 Presidential Farming Inputs Scheme.

The fertilizer was released into Mafashu’s custody as the stores controller. His duties include receiving and dispatching stocks and making daily, weekly and monthly stock counts.

From the period extending from October 8 to October 29, 2021 Mafashu allegedly stole 34x50kgs of FSG Compound D fertilizer.

To cover up for the offence, Mafashu started making excuses and failing to carry out physical counting of the stock on a daily basis with the security guard, Zebediah Moyana.

As the stock ran low and the theft was difficult to hide, Mafashu reported the missing bags to his superior. The manager carried out a stock check and discovered that they received a total of 14 108x50kgs of compound D, they dispatched 13 283 by 50kgs and they had a remaining stock of 791x50kgs bags, instead of 825x50kgs bags, giving a shortfall of 34x50kg bags of Compound D fertilizer.

The value of the missing fertilizer is $108 000 and nothing was recovered.

Mafashu told the court that he could not steal property under his custody.

“I am responsible for the stocks and there is no way I can steal the property. The fertilizer is missing and I think a mistake was made while loading some of the dispatched fertilizer,” he said.https://chipingetimes.co.zw