By Jane Mlambo| The deputy minister of the ministry of lands, water and agriculture Honourable Douglas Karoro is implicated in a case where GMB was prejudiced of US$24 000.

The Mbire legislator is said to have acted in connivance with Mugove Glen Chidamba to sell bags of fertilizers meant to benefit local farmers under the Presidential Inputs Programme, according to court papers obtained by this publication.

“On the 25th day of April 2022, the accused with the assistance of Honourable Douglas Karoro, received 400 x 50kg Ammonium Nitrate fertilizers from GMB Aspindale, which was supposed to be transported to GMB Mushumbi and benefit local farmers under the Presidential Inputs Programme.

“The accused then sold 200 bags to different customers in Harare and did not deliver the fertilizer to GMB Mushumbi,” the state alleges.

When the GMB Aspindale manager learnt that the consignment had not reached GMB Mushumbi Depot he quizzed the deputy agriculture minister who then hatched a plan with the accused Chidamba to conceal the fraud.

“To cover up for the offense accused returned 200 bags of Ammonium Nitrate ,132 x 50kg Super Fert, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate   and 69 x 50kg Super Fert, Cotton Top Dressing Calcium Ammonium Nitrate misrepresenting that it was the same fertilizer they had collected from the same Depot on 25 April 2022,” added the state.

However, the defense lawyer representing Chidamba argued that the accused was being sacrificed when it was clear that it is the deputy minister Karoro who should be answering the charges since he is the one who had contacted GMB.

The lawyer is seeking bail and the ruling for the bail application has been set for   Wednesday.