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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Online Reporter

POLICE have arrested three women in Plumtree for unlawful possession of Presidential agricultural inputs.

Police confirmed the incident which occurred on November 14 in Plumtree.

“On 14 November police in Plumtree acted on a tip-off and arrested Christine Pfunde (47), Faith Ncube (50) and Rita Mathe (48) for unlawful possession of Presidential agricultural inputs. The suspects were intercepted by the police at Plumtree Town bus terminus while loading 88 by 50kgs of Compound D fertilizer into a Harare bound bus from a Toyota Hiace vehicle,” said the police on Twitter.

Speaking recently during a meeting on inputs distribution under the Pfumvudza/ Intwasa programme Matabeleland South’s acting provincial agricultural director rural development services, Mr Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu said some unscrupulous people trick villagers into selling their inputs to them at a low cost and they go on to sell them at higher prices.

Mr Ndlovu said security and monitoring systems will be put in place to guard against such activities.

“We have had challenges in the past where unscrupulous people follow trucks that will be going to deliver inputs. After the inputs have been delivered these people trick the villagers into selling their inputs to them, especially Compound D fertilizer. Some villagers out of a need for money sell their inputs to these people who then transport them in their own trucks to other areas where they sell them at high prices,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said they have engaged farmers and encouraged them to only take inputs that they will use.

@DubeMatutu