The ManicaPost
Lovemore Kadzura
A RUSAPE political activist was allegedly arrested for looting inputs under the Command Agriculture Programme while he does not have a farm and later sold them on black market.
Shepherd Mukaka (35) who is known in political circles as Cde Beef is alleged to have sold the inputs valued at $2 112 and started splashing the money on furniture, raising eyebrows on the source of his income.
Mukaka is further alleged to have shown the Command Agriculture team a field that was not his, claiming that is where he had planted the maize.
The team was convinced, but luck ran out of him as the field owner later spilled the beans.
Public Prosecutor, Mr Tafara Chawatama, told the court that Mukaka misrepresented to the Makoni District Command Agriculture team that he was a genuine farmer and he was given seed maize and fertliser.
“Sometime in November 2016, Mukaka approached the Command Agriculture officials in Makoni District at Chingaira Building, Rusape purporting to be a genuine farmer who wanted to benefit from the Command Agriculture Programme.
“Mukaka misrepresented to them that he owns five hectares of land and was contracted under the programme.
“He was given 5x25kgs of seed maize, 32x50kgs bags of Compound D fertliser and 24x50kgs bags of AN fertliser.
“During the same period, the accused person converted the inputs to other purposes instead of farming.
“On February 3, Command Agriculture officials were tasked to assess progress at the accused person’s farm.
Mukaka led them to Arrarat Farm which he claimed to be his and the team assessed the farm.
The field had five hectares of green maize,” said Mr Chawatama.
The case came to light when Farai Mapako approached the Command Agriculture team on the same day and disclosed that the farm was his.
On February 8, Mukaka was arrested and failed to account for the inputs valued at $2 112. Nothing was recovered.
Magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Hanzi, granted Mukaka $100 bail and adjourned the matter to March 30 for trial.
