Ex-Cottco manager remanded in custody for fertilis...

Ex-Cottco manager remanded in custody for fertiliser theft

Michael Mashiri

Zim Now Court Correspondent

Former Cottco business unit manager, Mutoko Depot has been remanded in custody for stealing fertiliser that were meant to be distributed to farmers.

Praise Makombore, 36, of Mt Darwin, appeared before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa at the Harare Magistrate's Courts accused of theft of trust property.

She was remanded to September 11, 2024.

The complainant in this matter is Cotton Company of Zimbabwe Limited represented by Eunice Mupanduki.

The State, through prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti, alleges that sometime in 2023, Makombore who was a custodian of Presidential inputs connived with Zinhle Ndlovu who is still at large to steal fertiliser meant for distribution to farmers in Mutoko area.

The plan was for them to claim to have received instructions to order the release of fertiliser for distribution to farmers.

“On August 23, 2023, Ndlovu instructed Moses Chibanda, a field assistant at Kotwa to release 1170 bags X 50 kgs claiming that she had received the instruction from Makombore.

The fertilizer was then collected by two trucks without completing the necessary documentation.

The trucks reportedly went to a warehouse in Murehwa where Makombore's car would be seen collecting the fertilizers on different occasions,” the court heard.

The court was informed that Makombore's action resulted in Cottco loosing 1170 bags x 50kgs of compound L fertilisers valued at US$42 120.

The State also alleges that from February 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, at Mutoko Depot, Makombore planned to conduct business with Cottco without declaring her personal interests.

Makombore then contracted four vehicles to offer transportation services to Cottco using the transporter name T Mutandiro and received payments using her husband's Nedbank account number without disclosing to Cottco that she held a personal interest in those transactions.