A Supply Chain Manager at the Grain Marketing Board, Aspindale Depot, has been jailed for 12 months.
Obert Safuli Zhoya (58) was convicted of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.
He appeared before a Harare magistrate, who sentenced him to 24 months imprisonment, with 12 months suspended on condition of good behavior.
He will serve 12 months, effective.
It was proved that in May 2024, 599 bags of Compound D Superfert fertilizer were transferred from GMB Sadza Depot to GMB Mt Hampden Depot for use in grain-for-fertilizer swaps with farmers.
On May 9 Zhoya hatched a plan to sell the fertilizers as if they were written-off stock.
He engaged Madamara Investments (Pvt) Ltd, selling the fertilizers at USD $600 total (USD $1 per 50kg bag) instead of the actual value of USD $19,168.
Zhoya instructed GMB clerks and assistants to process a false receipt and deposit the money into the GMB account, presenting the deal as legitimate.
Upon verification by Mt Hampden Depot Manager, it was discovered that the fertilizers were in good condition and no disposal certificates existed for them.
The transaction was blocked and investigated.
Investigations revealed that the fertilizers were never written off and were meant strictly for farmer swap programs.
