HARARE - State witnesses in the case involving four men accused of delivering sodium cyanide instead of aluminium sulphate to Morton Jaffray water works said yesterday the delivery was “mistakenly” effected.

Felix Nyaruwanga from Freight World, a forwarding and clearing company told the court there was a mix-up on the documents resulting in sodium cyanide being sent to the water purification plant instead of being delivered to Bak Storage, Harare.

“I will take it as a mistake,” Nyaruwanga told the court.

“The papers were transposed. Erroneously a container containing aluminium sulphate was taken to Bak Storage. Its normal that such a mistake can happen.”

Another state witness, Alex Mashamhanda last week also told the court that there was a mix-up on the delivery process due to human error.

The four suspects Farai Muchenje, Simon Demhe, Appronalise Mupakaviri and Tiki Tarwirei are accused of conspiring to deliver the harmful substance instead of aluminium sulphate.

The court heard Demhe was assigned by Muchenje — a manager of Pairtrade Private limited to transport a consignment of 365 packages of sodium cyanide weighing 19 580kg from Mozambique in July last year.

According to state papers, Muchenje received an order indicating that he was supposed to transport
aluminium sulphate to Morton Jaffray water works meant for water treatment during the same month.

It is alleged Muchenje and Demhe connived to deliver sodium cyanide instead of aluminium sulphate at the water processing plant.

Harare Municipality assistant water works attendant Walter Chitsomba discovered that it was not aluminium sulphate that had been delivered and informed his superiors resulting in the quartet’s arrest.

The matter continues today when the investigating officer is to testify. - Tendai Kamhungira