The ManicaPost
Lovemore Kadzura
Rusape Correspondent
AN Agritex extension officer has landed himself in hot soup after he allegedly used villagers’ names to access Pfumvudza inputs from GMB, and went on to distribute them to other people who were not on the beneficiaries list.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has since arrested Zakaria Mayisiri and charged him with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.
Mayisiri appeared before Rusape magistrate, Ms Annie Ndiraya recently and was granted $5 000 bail.
He was remanded out of custody to December 13 for trial.
Prosecutor, Mr Innocent Mwoyowaonda told the court that Mayisiri also sidelined the ward councilor in collecting and distributing the inputs.
“On a date unknown to the prosecutor, but during the month of October 2021, the accused person approached people in Ward 32 and notified them that they were going to receive Presidential Agricultural inputs for the 2021/2022 agricultural season following their blacklisting for the past three years.
“The villagers registered for the inputs in different groups. As result of this confusion, the ward leadership asked the villagers to come up with a consolidated list of beneficiaries which was then handed over to the accused person. Mayisiri took the consolidated list to GMB Timbermills Depot in Headlands.
“On November 2, inputs comprising of Compound D and seed maize were availed for people in Ward 32.
“Mayisiri went to collect the inputs on behalf of Ward 32 villagers, leaving behind the ward councillor as per the stipulated requirement.”
The State further alleges that Mayisiri took the inputs to Headlands and distributed them among Ward 37 villagers instead of those from Ward 32.
In some cases he parceled out the inputs to members of the same family.
“The accused person took the inputs to Headlands, and distributed the inputs using a totally different list from that was availed by Ward 32 villagers. Mayisiri went on to distribute some of the inputs to people from Ward 37 instead of people from Ward 32.
“In some instances, Mayisiri gave inputs to two or more beneficiaries from the same household which is against the policy and procedure of the Presidential Inputs Scheme which says one beneficiary per household.
“The majority of Ward 32 villagers failed to get the inputs though their names were used to get the inputs from GMB.
“When Mayisiri distributed the inputs to people from Ward 37 instead of those from Ward 32, he acted contrary and inconsistent with his duty, thus showing favour to beneficiaries from Ward 37,” said Mr Mwoyowaonda.
