Zanu PF functionary swindles farmers of $46 000

via Zanu PF functionary swindles farmers of $46 000 – NewsDay Zimbabwe January 22, 2015

SOME 400 Zanu PF supporters in Kwekwe allegedly lost over $46 000 paid as deposits to secure inputs from a Murehwa-based firm whose director immediately vanished after receiving the money in 2011.

Nelmah Holdings, fronted by Nelson Mahupete (44), is alleged to have collected over $46 000 from 372 farmers through ex-Zanu PF Kwekwe Rural district co-ordinating committee chairperson John Chademana.

The loan scheme, which would have seen each Midlands farmer receiving eight by 50kg bags of Compound D fertiliser, six bags of ammonium nitrate fertiliser and a 25 kg bag of maize seed, suffered a stillbirth after Mahupete allegedly disappeared after pocketing the money in 2011.

He was, however, eventually arrested and brought to court this week where he denied the fraud charges.

Appearing before Kwekwe magistrate Taurai Manwere on Tuesday, Mahupete pleaded not guilty to the charge of fraud levelled against him by the State.

The State alleges that Mahupete and his employees duped Chademana and 372 other farmers after asking them to each deposit $32 per hectare to enable them to access inputs through an agricultural loan scheme run by his company.

State counsel Fortunate Mbizvo told the court that the farmers allegedly deposited a total of $46 384 into Nelmah Holdings’ account at CBZ Bank in January 2012, but are yet to received their inputs.

Nelmah Holdings is also allegedly involved in yet another scam which saw one of Zimbabwe’s top seed producers Seed Co losing 500 tonnes of maize seed worth over $900 000 to sales and distribution manager Cassian Manuhwa, his colleagues and the company in a well-orchestrated scam.

Mahupete was remanded in custody to January 30 after the State opposed bail.

Mahupete and his company have been implicated in another related scam involving farmers from Mashonaland provinces.

Hundreds of party supporters from Mashonaland provinces thronged the Zanu PF party headquarters last month after they were allegedly duped of $2,4 billion worth of agricultural inputs in a similar scheme by Mahupete and other fellow Zanu PF directors through his Lasch Investments company.

Other directors of Lasch are Zanu PF central committee member Absolom Sikhosana, Zanu PF youth director Tapiwa Zengeya, Patience Chipere and Evans Zininga. Their case is still before the courts in Harare.