LUPANE — One of the three accused persons in the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) fraud case involving the theft of fertiliser, was on Thursday acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Maxwell Phiri (36) from Victoria Falls was acquitted at the close of the State case after he applied for discharge on Wednesday.
Phiri was jointly charged with a GMB clerk Patricia Ncube (33) and the Veterinary Services Department employee Muchaneta Makwarimba (29), all residing at Lupane Ministry of Transport compound.
Ncube and Makwarimba all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Lupane magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba.
Gwazemba remanded Ncube and Makwarimba out of custody on $60 bail each to June 18 for continuation of trial.
They were also ordered not to go to GMB, not to interfere with potential witnesses, to reside at the given addresses and report to the police once a week on Wednesdays until their case was finalised.
At the close of the State case, Ncube had given her evidence-in-chief while Makwarimba is set to give hers on the next remand date.
Initially the three were jointly charged together with two other suspects, Leticia Kandawasvika (29) and Wellington Chimande (29), who have since been discharged due to lack of evidence.
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Allegations were that between January 6 and 13, Ncube, Makwarimba and Phiri connived to defraud GMB of fertiliser.
Sanders Sibanda is prosecuting.
