An ADMARC employee at Lumbadzi, Veronica Mtonga, was on March 29, arrested for allegedly misappropriating cash, maize and subsidized fertilizer all valued at MK108.6, police confirmed.
According to Kanengo Public Relations Officer, Sub. Insp. Esther Mkwanda, Mtonga is suspected to have misappropriated cash amounting to MK855,000; 3,033 bags of maize valued at MK16.7m; 4,140 bags of subsidized fertilizer valued at MK91m.
Mkwanda said 5 ADMARC Account books valued at MK7,500 were also missing in Mtonga’s office.
She explained that from October 2015 Lumbadzi Depot started receiving maize from Zambia which was to be distributed to other markets across the region but Mtonga was not indicating receipt of the commodity in her records.
However, drivers of the trucks delivering the maize were submitting delivery notes to ADMARC Regional Manager to indicate that Lumbadzi Depot was receiving the maize.
The same happened with the 4,140 fertilizer subsidy bags which Mtonga allegedly did not transact in her books.
Mkwanda further said stock-taking was conducted and Mtonga failed to account for the maize and fertilizer and she wrote the Regional Manager admitting that there were indeed “some anomalies”.
“Auditors were sent to the depot to audit her but she deserted,” explained Mkwanda. “The matter was then reported to police and we arrested her on 29th March. The auditors were informed and they took her to her office for the audit where she failed to account for the cash, fertilizer and maize.”
Mtonga is charged with Theft by Public Servant, which is contrary to Section 283 of the Penal code, according to Mkwanda.
The suspect appeared before the Mkukula Magistrate Court on Friday and she has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Meanwhile, she is on remand at Maula Prison and she will appear before court in 14 days for hearing.
Mtonga is 35 and hails from Padukana Village, Traditional Authority Kaluluma, Kasungu, and she has worked with ADMARC for 13 years, 5 years of which she has been at Lumbadzi Depot.
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