Fertilizer Truck Vanishes With $17,000 Cargo in Harare

Deputy Secretary’s Ammonium Nitrate Shipment Missing

A truck driver has gone missing with a substantial load of ammonium nitrate fertilizer destined for a farm belonging to a top government official. The incident unfolded as a woman appeared in court on theft charges.

Fertilizer Theft Uncovered

Prosecutors revealed the details in the Mbare Magistrates Court, charging 49-year-old Sithabisile Mpofu with theft of trust property. The fertilizer, valued at $17,160, was meant for the Battlefields farm of George Charamba, the deputy chief cabinet secretary and presidency spokesman.

Mpofu was allegedly tasked by Charamba‘s personal assistant, Tsitsi Chirwa, to secure a truck for the 26-tonne consignment. The fertilizer was to be transported from J & J in Mt Hampden, Harare, to the farm near Kwekwe.

Driver Disappears During Transit

The court heard that Mpofu hired truck driver Stewart Sanikwa, who collected the fertilizer on July 11. An employee from the president’s office, Gift Nyamutowa, was supposed to escort the truck. However, Nyamutowa arrived late at the loading point.

“The truck driver, who is still at large, took advantage of the absence of complainant (Nyamutowa) and drove the truck from the loading point without escort and disappeared with the load,” stated the National Prosecuting Authority.

False Details Prompt Further Charges

Upon discovering the fertilizer had not reached its destination, Nyamutowa proceeded to the farm and a police report was filed. Prosecutors also accuse Mpofu of providing incorrect registration details for the truck involved in the alleged theft.

Mpofu has been denied bail and remains in custody. The theft highlights the vulnerability of agricultural supply chains. In 2023, global fertilizer prices saw significant volatility due to geopolitical events, impacting crop yields and food security (World Bank, 2023).