The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Blessing Benhura on fraud charges after he allegedly swindled the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) of Presidential agricultural inputs valued at nearly US$300 000.
ZACC confirmed that Benhura, acting in common purpose with accomplices who are still at large, allegedly defrauded ARDA by submitting fictitious names of 14 farmers to access farming inputs under the Presidential agricultural programme. Investigators say the scheme enabled him to receive 64 tonnes of Compound D fertiliser, 15 tonnes of wheat seed and 60 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser.
According to ZACC, the inputs were never used for agricultural production as claimed. Instead, it is alleged that Benhura and his accomplices sold the inputs in Harare and shared the proceeds, undermining a programme meant to support national food security.
The fraud was uncovered during a routine inspection by ARDA officials, who discovered that the listed beneficiary farmers did not exist and that no wheat had been planted on the purported farms, triggering an investigation that led to Benhura’s arrest.
Benhura was arrested on December 15 and appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on December 17. He was remanded in custody to December 19, when the court is expected to rule on his bail application.
ZACC said investigations are continuing as it moves to identify and apprehend Benhura’s alleged accomplices.
