Six suspects, including two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), implicated in the theft of drought relief maize, have accused workers from the Social Welfare Department of being responsible for the disappearance of the aid.
The suspects, who were arrested for the theft of 170 bags of maize meant for villagers in Bhasera, Gutu East, made their case before a High Court Judge in Masvingo.
According to <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/suspected-bhasera-relief-maize-thieves-granted-bail/">The Mirror</a>, the suspects argued that they could not be held responsible for the missing maize, as their only role was to escort the consignment, not to count, audit or distribute it.
In a ruling on Thursday, Justice Sunsley Zisengwe granted bail to five of the suspects, with stringent conditions, including surrendering their passports to the state and reporting to the nearest police station every Friday. The judge also ordered the suspects to pay a bail of US$100 each.
Interestingly, one of the suspects, a businessman named Costa Fire, was found in possession of four bags of the missing maize, which he claimed were for his own consumption.
Costa, two officers based at ZRP Bhasera, Admond Mavhangira (45) and Allen Hamandishe (32), Calvin Munhamo (38) an agricultural extension worker, and Sheperd Masundidzire (49), truck driver were represented by Calisto Mutema of Ruvengo Maboke Legal Practitioners.
The sixth suspect Daniel Charungwa (45) was released on Friday.
The two police officers said they were aware of the disappearance of the maize since June 30, 2024. Argued Mutema:
<blockquote>
The Police officers submit that their involvement in the matter is limited. Their duties are confined to escorting the vehicle to destinations as given by Social Welfare officers.
Nowhere do they record and sign any document relating to what has been loaded, distributed and the remainder thereof. The position also turns upon the Agritex officer.
Fire was found with only four bags of maize in his house which he said was meant for his own consumption.
The truck driver does not attend to the physical counting of the units actually loaded into the truck, the quantities actually distributed and the remainder thereof.
</blockquote>
In granting them bail, Justice Zisengwe considered that the five were of fixed abode and they willingly surrendered themselves to the Police.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the incident occurred on June 13, 2024, around 4 PM, at Alheit Business Centre, Basera.
The second accused, Allen Hamandishe, was tasked with escorting a truck carrying 370 x 50kg of maize meant for drought relief to the ZRP Basera Police Camp for safekeeping.
Shepherd Masundidzire, the sixth accused, drove the truck and parked it at the police camp at 7 PM. However, the six accused individuals allegedly hatched a plan to steal a portion of the consignment.
The state alleges that three of the accused returned around 9:30 PM and drove the truck to Chimombe Clinic, where they met the third, fourth, and fifth accused persons (Munhamo, Charungwa and Fire, respectively). They then offloaded 170 x 50kg of the maize.
The theft was discovered when the maize was being distributed, and investigations led to the arrest of the accused individuals. The total value of the stolen maize is estimated at US$3,646.
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Pindula News

Six suspects, including two police officers, were accused of stealing maize meant for villagers in Zimbabwe. They say Social Welfare workers are responsible for the missing aid. One suspect was found with four bags of stolen maize. The suspects were granted bail. The theft happened at a police camp. The suspects allegedly stole 170 bags of maize worth $3,646. The police officers claim they only escorted the maize and were not involved in counting or distributing it. Investigations are ongoing to catch all those involved in the theft.

Six Suspects, Including Two ZRP Officers, Claim Inside Job In 170-Bag Maize Theft Case

Zimbabwe has received US$31.8 million from the African Risk Capacity, an arm of the African Union, in drought relief aid.
The southern African country joined the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Agency in 2012.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Development and lnvestment Promotion, Mthuli Ncube, received US$16.8 million from ARC on Thursday, which was complemented by payments to Zimbabwe’s ARC partners, the World Food Programme (WFP) and Start Network of US$6.1 million and US$8.9 million, respectively.
Receiving the insurance cover, Ncube said that the drought relief funds will cover 27 districts across the country. Said Ncube:
<blockquote>
Today, I am honoured, to, on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe, receive the ARC drought insurance pay-out amounting to US$16.8 million.
The pay-out is complemented by pay-outs to our ARC replica partners amounting to US$6.1 million to the WFP and US$8.9 million to Start Network.
Zimbabwe will, therefore, receive a total pay-out of US$31.8 million.
The insurance payout will be distributed to approximately 508,435 vulnerable households in 27 districts across the country.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe is currently facing an acute food shortage following an El Niño-induced drought, which has left more than half of the country’s population in need of food assistance.
In April 2024, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the drought a state of national disaster, issuing an appeal for resources from aid agencies and development partners.
Despite assurances that no one will die of hunger, the Zimbabwean government has revised its food relief funding appeal from the initial US$2 billion to US$3 billion.
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