The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has announced the arrest of four men for fraud and unlawful acquisition of Presidential farming inputs. In a statement seen by Pindula News, ZRP said the incidents occurred between the 19th and 22nd of October 2022 in Chinhoyi and Harare. Reads the statement:
ARREST OF FOUR SUSPECTS FOR CASES OF FRAUD AND UNLAWFUL ACQUISITION OF PRESIDENTIAL FARMING INPUTS
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Johanne Mupope (40), Shacky Gombe (35), Sean Joubert (32) and Charles Gumbeze (41) for cases of fraud and unlawful acquisition of Presidential farming inputs which occurred between the 19th and 22nd October 2022 in Chinhoyi and Harare.
The Police acted on a report of suspiciously packaged 450x50kgs of Kynoch tobacco blend fertilizer which had been delivered to two complainants in Banket.
Police made some follow-ups leading to the arrest of two suspects, Johanne Mupope and Shacky Gombe, who had delivered the fertilizers from Harare to the complainants. The suspects led the detectives to Tynwald Plots, Harare, where Sean Joubert, together with eight others, were found blending and mixing Windmill compound D, Superfert Compound D and Superfert Cotton Blend fertilizers. The fertilizers had been given to farmers under the current Presidential Farming Inputs Scheme and were mixed with anthill granules before being packaged in counterfeit Kynoch branded 50kg bags allegedly manufactured in Mbare, Harare.
Sean Joubert implicated Charles Gumbeze as the supplier of the fertilizers leading to his subsequent arrest. Charles Gumbeze indicated that he got the presidential inputs fertilizer from farmers in Rutenga, Chiredzi, and Bulawayo.
Police recovered 362x50kgs of Kynoch counterfeit tobacco blend fertilizer, 240x50kgs of anthill granules, 90x50kgs mixed presidential inputs fertilizers, 652x50kgs Kynock branded empty bags, one electric sewing machine, 12 volts battery, an inverter, one roll sewing thread and US$14 570-00 at the suspects’ Tynwald premise.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges farmers to buy farming inputs from reputable suppliers and warns those abusing inputs benefited from the Government’s Presidential Farming Inputs Scheme that the law will take its course.
(NYATHI.P) Assistant Commissioner
Senior Staff Officer [Press and Public Relations]
to the Commissioner General of Police
Police General Headquarters