Chitipa Fisp beneficiaries duped

Some beneficiaries of the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) in Chitipa District were allegedly duped by a 28-year-old man impersonating an Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) official.

The suspect, identified as Jonas Msukwa of Masyesye Village, Traditional Authority ( T/A) Mwaulambia in Chitipa District late last week went to William and Mbowe villages in T/A Mwenemisuku where he posed as an official from Misuku Admarc Depot in the district.

On Wednesday, Northern Region Police spokesperson Maurice Chapola said the suspect approached the villagers and asked for coupons

and money, saying he would assist them to buy fertiliser.

Some of the villagers gave the coupons and money, but when they went to the Admarc depot they were informed the suspect did not work there. They, then, reported the matter to police who arrested the suspect on Tuesday.

Chapola said had it not been for the arrest, many people would have fallen victim to the fraud. The suspect has since been charged with theft and impersonating a public servant.

Police have since appealed to members of the general public to be on guard to avoid being duped by such people.

Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Water Development Fisp coordinator Osborne Tsoka said beneficiaries of the programme should

go in person to the depots with the coupons and money to buy farm inputs. But if there are challenges, they should go as a group.

He said government has put in place a number of depots so that people do not have to walk long distances to access the farm inputs.

Said Tsoka: “I am hearing about it for the first time. It’s a new case and such cases are rare. We discourage people from sending others to buy inputs for them. Every farmer has to go by himself or herself to buy the inputs.” n