A HARARE magistrate yesterday postponed to May 17, former Agriculture deputy minister Douglas Karoro’s trial on fraud charges.
Karoro (50), who is being charged together with Mushumbi Pools Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot manager Lovejoy Ngowe (49), appeared before Taurai Manuwere.
Manuwere postponed the trial saying the court was overwhelmed.
Allegations are that on March 7 last year, Ngowe received 30 050 tonnes of seed maize under the Presidential Input Programme for distribution in Mbire constituency. It is alleged that between March 10 to 25, 2022, Karoro collected the seed maize from Ngowe on various occasions using his personal vehicles, and was issued with goods dispatched voucher numbers.
Karoro, however, allegedly did not distribute the maize seed to the intended beneficiaries.
On March 23, 2022, Karoro allegedly received a total of 5000 vegetable combo kits comprising of 2,5g rape, onion, texas grano, carrots nantes from Valley Seed Private Limited that was supposed to be delivered at GMB Mushumbi depot under the Presidential Input Programme.
The duo converted the combo kits to their own use, prejudicing GMB of US$25 000 and nothing was recovered.
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