FORMER deputy minister of Lands,Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Douglas Karoro’s fraud case was defered. Karoro is charged along with his accomplice Lovejoy Ngove.
The matter was deferred to May 8 for trial continuation.
According to the State, Karoro and Ngove, allegedly misappropriated agricultural inputs worth US$43 000 under the Presidential Inputs Scheme in 2022.
The inputs were meant to benefit farmers in Mbire constituency.
Karoro allegedly collected seed from Ngove on several occasions using his vehicles and having the seed marked on the dispatch vouchers as for the needy in the constituency.
The two allegedly converted the farming inputs to their own use.
Ngove was allegedly found in possession of maize seed at his house at GMB Mushumbi Pools.
They would then convert them to their own use. On June 1, 2022 Ngowe was allegedly found in possession of 10x2kg Seedco SC301 maize seed and 10x5kg Seedco SC513 maize seed in his house at GMB Mushumbi pools.
On March 23, 2022, Karoro allegedly received 5 000 vegetable combo kits comprising seed for rape, onion, texas grano, carrots nantes which he was supposed to hand over to GMB Mushumbi Pools depot under the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
Karoro and Ngowe @llegedly failed to deliver the vegetable combo kits to GMB Mushumbi Pool and converted them to their own use. Ngowe also allegedly went on further to order GMB Mushumbi inputs clerk, Honesty Nyathi, and security guard, Manyara Manuwere, to fraudulently book the consignment in the goods received voucher, goods dispatch voucher, gate book and stack register to appear as if the consignment had been received at GMB Mushumbi and dispatched to Karoro.
The State claims the consignment was never physically received at GMB Mushumbi depot. GMB lost US$25 000 in the process, according to the State.
Source newsDay
