An alert community member in Chasefu district of Eastern province has intercepted a truck carrying 58 by 50 kilograms of white maize believed to have been stolen from the Munyukwa Food Reserve Agency (FRA) shed in Chasefu district.
And Emusa police in Chasefu district have impounded a truck which was being used to ferry the said stolen FRA maize.
Police in Lundazi say a suspected truckload containing 58 by 50kg re-bagged FRA white maize has been recovered.
And a Munukwa FRA Satelite Depot Clerk, Lloyd Kwenda has been named in the theft.
The theft is alleged to have happened between January 1 and February 17, 2025 at Munyukwa Food Reserve Agency sheds and it was reported on February 19, 2025.
“Be informed that on February 19, 2025 at around 10:00 hours Lundazi Police Station received a report of theft by servant from a concerned member of the public based in Munyukwa area, that the Satellite Depot Clerk for Munyukwa Food Reserve Agency sheds Lloyd Kwenda convened a meeting with Two Ward Development Committee Members (WDC) Namely Chidoti Ngulube and Movert Kumwenda to use names for Community Members to buy Food Reserve Agency Maize at the sheds and later resell it at a higher price without the knowledge of name owners,” a police statement read in part.
Eastern Police Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba has confirmed the report to ZANIS in Lundazi.
According to a police report, the trio was seen removing unknown number of FRA bags of maize from the shed and putting it in Chidoti Ngulube’s shop where it was later re-bagged in ordinary bags and later ferried to an unknown destination in a light Truck Canter on February 15, 2025.
For the second time, the trio was again seen removing some FRA bags of maize and taking them to the same shop on February 19, 2025 using a Hino Dyna Truck Registration number AIF 3447 which was being driven by Raphael Phiri of Chipyola Compound in Lundazi.
It was during this time that an alert community member intercepted the truck and reported the matter to Emusa police post in Chasefu.
A search at the suspect’s shop found 83 empty FRA labelled bags, an indication that the intercepted bags of maize had been re-bagged.
The Truck and the recovered 58 bags of white maize and 83 FRA empty bags are in police custody while a man-hunt for the three suspects has been launched.
