The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and the Zimbabwe National Army were subjected to a $6 million scam in fake tenders to supply mealie- meal to the military.

The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has since said it stopped producing and selling mealie- meal hence members of the public must not fall prey to conmen who purport to be employees of the parastatal.

This follows reports that a man in Bulawayo who is masquerading as a soldier duped 12 companies of more than $6 million in a bogus deal to supply the army with mealie- meal from the GMB.

Purporting to be a sergeant Muriro from Lookout Masuku Barracks (formerly Llewellin Barracks) near Bulawayo, the man allegedly phoned the companies and expressed an interest in awarding them tenders to supply mealie- meal to the army.

He would claim that the companies were carefully picked from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe register.

In a statement, the GMB’s chief executive officer Mr Rockie Mutenha said the company stopped producing mealie-meal.

The GMB used to produce mealie-meal as part of its Silo-products manufactured by its commercial unit.

“The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) would like to warn the public not to fall prey to conmen who purport to be employees of GMB that could facilitate the buying of its mealie- meal,” said Mr Mutenha.

He said GMB’s core business now is to store and manage the Strategic Grain Reserve and also sell grain to millers and stock feed manufacturers.

Mr Mutenha urged members of the public to report suspicious people claiming to be GMB employees to its risk department or the nearest police station.

“For further enquiries the public can contact GMB Corporate Communications Department through the hotline telephone line 0242 707898 or email at [email protected],” said Mr Mutenha.-