HARARE - Affirmative Action Group (AAG) vice president Elizabeth Nyathi who is accused of stealing more than $250 000 worth of maize seed from a government seed production company has been issued another arrest warrant.

Nyathi, who is the director of Laksem (Pvt) Limited is facing theft charges after she allegedly stole seed from Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda).

Harare regional magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni yesterday morning issued another arrest warrant against Nyathi who has defaulted twice before.

Nyathi has previously defaulted in May and August this year.

The matter was supposed to proceed to defence case yesterday, but was stalled by Nyathi’s absence.

Allegations by prosecutor Michael Reza are that Nyathi stole seed she had entrusted to sell on behalf of Arda.

According to state papers, Nyathi had approached Arda during 2010’s Harare Agricultural Show after becoming aware that the seed firm wanted a sales agent in Mutare.

She allegedly visited Arda Borrowdale offices during the same month, where an agreement was reached authorising Nyathi to sell the seed on behalf of the company.

According to the agreement Nyathi would be supplied with seed which she would sell and remit proceeds of the sale within 14 days to Arda, the court was told.

The court heard that Nyathi was given seed worth $327 500 and after she sold part of the consignment, she did not remit any money to Arda.

It is alleged that after Arda officials realised that Nyathi had not remitted the proceeds, they went to Mutare where they only managed to recover 30 tonnes of seed valued at $49 040. - Tendai Kamhungira