by Staff Reporter
The Bindura Magistrates’ Court has sentenced Tachiona Sorotiya, 45, and Jacob Paul Chisambiro, 28, to effective two years imprisonment each after they were convicted of theft of trust property.
The pair was found guilty of diverting part of a government consignment of fertilizer meant for 600 communal farmers in Ward 6, Mazowe North Constituency.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the fertilizer was delivered under the Presidential Inputs Scheme and was supposed to be distributed transparently through Grain Marketing Board processes.
Sorotiya, a local ZANU PF chairperson, and Chisambiro, a Grain Marketing Board employee, conspired to misappropriate 100 x 50kg bags of Urea fertilizer worth US$5,720. The stolen consignment was loaded onto a transporter’s truck without the required police escort and later shared among the offenders.
The offense came to light when community members noticed irregularities and alerted the police.
Although nothing was recovered, the court found overwhelming evidence against Sorotiya and Chisambiro, leading to their conviction.
They were each sentenced to 36 months imprisonment, with 12 months suspended, leaving two years to serve effectively.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe emphasized that “Inputs meant to empower farmers and strengthen food security must never be diverted for personal gain. Those entrusted with national resources will face the full wrath of the law if they betray that trust.”
“Combating Crime and Corruption” – National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe