General manager accused of stealing maize

Michael Mashiri

A Chitungwiza general manager who systematically milked his employe has appeared in court on allegations of stealing maize grain.

Tapiwa Pomera, 35, of Unit N, Chitungwiza who was employed as general manager at Tamari Trust Company appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Court accused of four counts of theft of trust property, contravening Section 113 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 9:23.

The state alleges that 23 December 2022, Pomera went to the complainant's warehouse and collected 22×50kg bags of maize grain.

He lied that he was taking the maize grain to Guruve to process into pig feed, but went on to sell it in Mbare.

On 7 January 2023, Pomera again went to the complainant's warehouse and took 22×50kg bags of maize grain stating that he was taking it to Guruve for pig feed, but instead he popped it into maputi for sale.

He used the proceeds from sales of the stolen maize to buy 40×50kgs of maize grain which was later discovered by the police. The total stolen was US$600 which was recovered.

On another incident, Pomera was given US$10 498 to buy maize seed, basal fertilizer, ammonium nitrate and herbicides. The inputs were supposed to be given to the farm manager at Tamari Estate Darwendale. Pomera did not buy anything and pocketed all the money.

He was also given US$3 120 to buy 40×25kg sugar been seed, and again put the whole amount into his pocket.

Pomera further converted US$770 meant for basal fertilizer to own use as well as US$1 650 meant for ammonium nitrate, US$890 for herbicides, US$655 for his logistic costs. The total prejudiced amounted to US$10 220 and nothing was recovered.

The state alleges that in December 2022, Pomera was given US$5 840 to buy 126×25kg soya been seed and he only bought 116×25kg then stole US$332 for the other 10 bags.

He was also stole US$400 from US$1 000 that was allocated buy fruit tree seedlings to be planted in Guruve. With other similar diversions and outright thefts a total of US$7 770 was taken and nothing was recovered.

The court also heard that, Pomera was given a six role planter marker for repairs. He claimed US$350 for repairs but did not return the planter marker to the company.

The resulted in a loss of US$1 150 for the company and only US$8 00 was recovered.

As a result of Pomera's actions, the suffered a loss of US$27 500.

Pomera appeared in front of magistrate Dennis Mangosi who remanded him in custody to Friday January 20 for bail application.