Staff Reporter An unscrupulous businessman Labours Mahere appeared before Karoi magistrate for making fake agricultural chemicals that has cost farmers thousands of dollars
Mahere who runs Karoi Farm Centre was caught red handed by police on Sunday while making fake chemicals with another company’s logo called CP Chemicals Zimbabwe.
CP Chemicals is a major supplier of agro chemicals in Zimbabwe. We Importers and distributors of agro chemicals providing fumigation services to pre-shipment quarantine and grain
He appeared at Karoi Magistrate court being charged under the trademark act which he pleaded guilty and now awaits sentencing.
Mahere has another court case in the high court where he is also being sued by Mhuri Farming Private Limited where he allegedly sold fake chemicals to the entity and the company incurred a US$150 000 loss after the seedlings failed to geminate.
A lawyer who is privy to the information said that Mahere allegedly sold a fake chemical with an Agricura logo. Tests done showed that the chemical was diluted.
Investigations showed that farmers across Mashonaland West have fallen victim to Mahere’s shenanigans.
Elmon Moyo, an Agricultural Extension Officer in Kazangarare said that over the past years many farmers have fallen victim to the unscrupulous businessman.
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“This solves the puzzle that has been troubling us as agricultural officers. For years, farmers who ostensibly buy chemicals from Karoi Farm Centre do not get the intended results. I also know a family that bought cattle chemicals from the institution and lost several of them without a proper explanation,” he said.
Agricultural minister Anxious Masuka said unscrupulous people were taking advantage of the lax laws to con farmers.
“I have heard some cases and the government is working hard to come up with strong deterrence measures for unscrupulous people who are milking farmers with fake inputs,” he said.
