The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Sunday News Reporter
CHIRUMANZU District Development Coordinator Vafias Hlabati has been arraigned before the court for allegedly abusing Pfumvudza/Intwasa and Presidential inputs.
Hlabati, who has since been suspended from work, appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Edwin Marecha last week facing criminal abuse of office and theft. Mr Marecha remanded Hlabati out of custody to 22 April on $10 000 bail.
Hlabati is being jointly charged with Chirumhanzu Agritex officer Caristo Masiiwa who also appeared before the same court. Masiiwa is, however, facing charges of theft after he allegedly sold the inputs. He was also remanded out of custody on $ 10 000 bail. The State’s case is that Hlabati wrongly allocated Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs and food aid to undeserving recipients.
The court heard that Hlabati diverted 1 249 bags of fertilizer, 53 320 bags of maize seed, 233 bags of lime, cowpeas, tick grease, vegetable seed, sorghum seed, army worm chemical, knapsacks and soya seed that were meant for communal farmers.
It is understood that during the period extending from September 2020 to March 2021, Hlabati and Masiiwa allocated inputs to non-deserving people thereby prejudicing the target beneficiaries under the Presidential Input Support Scheme. The two also allegedly connived to steal food supplements and hampers donated to the underprivileged by Government to cushion them during the Covid-19 induced lockdown. Ms Wadzanayi Shayanowako appeared for the State.
