Stacked bags of fertilizer. Photo : Takudzwa Changadeya
By Judith Nyuke
A Mazowe farmer was left counting his losses after being swindled out of US$34 000 by two men who sold him fake Compound D fertilizer last year.
Ishmael Takudzwa Mataya (35), Tapiwa Chipiti (29) appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo charged with fraud.
The matter was remanded to 21 January.
The complainant in this case is Stanley Mafumo (63) who is self-employed as a farmer.
The State represented by Lawrence Gangarahwe alleges that during the period extending from September 2025 to November 2025, the pair hatched a plan to defraud unsuspecting farmers.
Acted in connivance with Blessing Mushonga who is already on remand, flighted an advertisement on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Radio Zimbabwe that they were selling fertilizer and agro chemicals.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Mafumo approached Mushonga at their shop located at 76 Robert Mugabe/Kaguvi street Harare and purchased 150 tonnes of Compound D fertilizer valued at US$66 066-00.
Complainant paid US$34 000-00 from his First Capital Bank account number to First Capital Bank account number supplied by the accused persons and agreed to pay the balance after delivery.
The accused persons reportedly delivered 619 bags of purported Superfert Compound D fertilizers and failed to deliver the balance thereby refunding US$6 000-00 to complainant.
Complainant became suspicious and took some samples of the supplied fertiliser for testing at Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Department of Agricultural Research Innovation and Specialist Services Directorate where it was proved that it was fake.
It is the State’s case that Chipiti manufactured the purported fertilisers and supplied them to Mataya and his co-accused persons.
The Court heard that value prejudiced is US$34 000-00 and US$6 000-00 was recovered.
