The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) has been hit by a significant theft incident, with an employee accused of stealing 16,000 bale ties valued at over $20,000. Lawrence Chiriri, a stores person at Cottco, was taken into custody and is set to have his bail hearing this Monday.
Chiriri allegedly collaborated with accomplices to pilfer the bale ties, which were then loaded onto a truck transporting ginned seed to Afro Run Company in Norton. A tip-off led Cottco’s Loss Control team to conduct a physical stock count, revealing the missing ties.
As the custodian of the bale ties, Chiriri failed to account for the missing items, leading to his arrest. This incident highlights concerns about corruption and mismanagement within Cottco, which has faced similar challenges in the past.
Cottco has struggled with corruption allegations, including misuse of supplies, fuel diversion, and theft of cotton products. In 2023, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development acknowledged a serious problem with abuse of cotton supplies. The company’s leadership vacuum and lack of transparency have raised concerns about its future.
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