By Diana Tsitsi Munharira
A ZANU PF ward chairperson and his accomplice at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) have been sentenced to effective two-year jail terms for stealing government-subsidized fertilizer meant for communal farmers.
Tachiona Sorotiya (45), the party official, and Jacob Paul Chisambiro (28), the GMB employee, were convicted of theft of trust property by the Bindura Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard that on January 13, 2024, the duo conspired to divert 100 bags of Urea fertilizer from a consignment delivered under the Presidential Inputs Scheme. The inputs were intended for 600 farmers in Ward 6, Mazowe North Constituency.
Instead of following the transparent GMB distribution process, Sorotiya and Chisambiro illegally loaded the bags, worth US$5,720, onto a private truck without a police escort and shared the loot among themselves.
The scam was uncovered after alert community members noticed irregularities and reported them to the police. While none of the stolen fertilizer was recovered, the evidence against the pair was overwhelming.
The two were each sentenced to 36 months in prison. Twelve months were suspended on condition of good behavior, leaving an effective two-year jail term.
The case serves as a stark warning that the diversion of inputs meant to empower farmers and ensure national food security will be met with the full wrath of the law.
