AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) in Mwanza Region is holding an accountant of Shinyanga- based MHEDI cooperative society, Mr Paul Nkuba, and 16 business persons over corruption allegations.
According to the anti-corruption agency, Mr Nkuba was illegally transporting and selling farm inputs owned by the MHEDI Agricultural Marketing Co-operatives (AMCOS). The act was against the PCCB Act of 2007.
Mr Nkuba was allegedly selling the pesticides that the government distributed to cotton farmers through their cooperatives.
The PCCB said in collaboration with Tanzania Cotton Board, it conducted an inspection of various shops of farm inputs in the region after noticing that they were being sold to businesspersons instead of supplying them to farmers.
After the inspection, the bureau found out different types of pesticides worth 12.6m/- , including 286 pieces of 100ml Banofos, 62 pieces of Banofos 250ml, 48 pieces of Banofos 500ml, 18 pieces of Ruruka 50gm, 372 pieces of Ruruka 100gm, and 373 pieces of Ruruka 150gm.
Others are 61 pieces of Duduba, 189 pieces of Sosprid, five pieces of Mocran, two pieces of Rapid attack and eight pieces of Pump.
The PCCB stated that it initially conducted follow ups on the cooperatives and identified challenges facing cotton farmers, including delayed farm inputs and payments after selling their produce.
This prompted the anticorruption bureau to find out reasons behind the problems. The PCCB discovered that there were some dishonest leaders of the AMCOS who were selling the inputs to traders.
The PCCB in the region has also rescued millions of shillings that were stolen by various leaders of cooperatives. Some of AMCOS leaders were forging vouchers to show that they had supplied farm inputs to farmers.
On the other hand, they deducted money for farm inputs from farmers but did not submit it to the government.
“It should be noted that this exercise is ongoing and the PCCB will not tolerate seeing embezzlement of public funds; therefore, investigations will be conducted to flush out all those responsible and send them to court,” the statement said.
The PCCB also reiterated a warning to leaders of AMCOS and traders countrywide to refrain from such wrongdoings, otherwise they will face stern legal measures.
