Pair in court over fake fertiliser 

Source: Pair in court over fake fertiliser -Newsday Zimbabwe

TWO Harare men yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with fraud after they tried to sell fake fertiliser mixed with sand.

Sean Joubert and Charles Gumbeze appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi who granted them $50 000 bail each and remanded the matter to December 16.

It is alleged that on October 5 Joubert  called the complainant, Corner Hendrik Terblanche and misrepresented that he had about 30 tonnes of fertiliser that was a bit affected by water, but could still work in maize farming.

The complainant  allegedly paid US$18 000 for the fertiliser

Joubert then acted in connivance with Gumbeze and their accomplice only identifited as Cliff, who is still at large, to produce the fake Kynoch fertiliser.

They mixed Windmill’s Compound D, Superfert Compound D and Superfert Cotton Blend donated by government through the presidential inputs scheme, with suspected anthill granules.

They packed the fake fertiliser in 50kg bags ready to deliver the consignment to the complainant.

Police detectives then received a tip off of the transaction and proceeded to the crime scene where they found the accused persons packing the fertilizer into Kynoch branded 50kg sacks. They were arrested.

On the other two counts, the accused persons were charged with possession of presidential inputs scheme fertiliser which they had no right to sell or receive.

The total stolen is US$18 000 and total recovered is US$14 500.