Harare — THE Anti-Corruption Commission is hunting for a senior Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe official after raids yesterday recovered farm equipment and inputs allegedly diverted from the Government's Farm Mechanisation Programme by the official and a suspected accomplice.

The head of the RBZ's Agricultural Mechanisation and Small to Medium Enterprises Support Division, Mordecai Masakwa, who is now being sought to give an explanation, and Joseph Banda, already arrested, allegedly hid the assortment of equipment at Spoken Word Ministries Church in Belvedere, Harare, and two houses in north-east Harare.

The equipment seized includes three tractors, 41 tonnes of fertilizer, 30 tonnes of soyabean seed, 11 electricity generators, 10 motorcycles, 50 assorted garden tools, 21 knapsack sprayers, eight cultivators and gym equipment, among others.

Banda is already in custody on remand and has been denied bail by Harare magistrate Mrs Memory Chigwaza while police are anxious to interview Masakwa, who cannot be found.

Anti-Corruption Commission general manager in charge of investigations Ms Sukai Tongogara said Masakwa, taking advantage of his position as head of the RBZ's Agricultural Mechanisation and Small to Medium Enterprises Support Division, allegedly connived with Banda to divert farm implements that were meant to equip new farmers across the country.

She said anti-corruption investigators, led by Mr Servious Kufandada, raided the Belvedere church where Masakwa is an elder and had allegedly used his position to hide the equipment.

At the church complex, investigators recovered 41 tonnes of fertilizer, 30 tonnes of soyabean, six generators, eight motorbikes, one grinding mill, one vicuna, six knapsacks, 10 shovels, 30 hoe heads, one scotchcart, one beacon sprayer, one disc harrow, three disc ploughs, one ox-drawn planter, cultivator and three ox-drawn harrows.

Further investigations led the team to two houses where they seized more implements.

At the first house, investigators recovered three new Holland tractors, gym equipment and a Gaspardo planter.

Two motorcycles, 15 knapsack sprayers, five generators, one seed drill, one ox-drawn cart, three ox-drawn harrows and two ox-drawn cultivators were recovered at the second home.

Ms Tongogara suspects that the farm equipment was released improperly from Bak Storage.

Ms Tongogara urged people to report any suspicious activities involving Farm Mechanisation Programme equipment to assist in the arrest of those who diverted resources from the programme.

"We are not going back with these investigations and I appeal to the nation and all stakeholders to assist us with information of any known dirty cases involving the implements and can contact us on (04) 797908 or 251624," said Ms Tongogara.

Ms Tongogara is appealing to anyone with information on Masakwa's whereabouts to phone the same numbers.

Banda recently appeared in court and was remanded in custody to March 20.

He was represented by Mr Tapson Dzvetero of Mlotshwa and Partners.

Banda was denied bail after the State convinced the court that he had already probably interfered with witnesses and investigations.

The State also wants time to investigate allegations that Banda had two national identity particulars.