News / National
How Zanu-PF linked businessmen squandered money for presidential goats
21 Jun 2024 at 06:26hrs | Views
ZANU-PF-linked businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu have come under scrutiny following revelations from an internal Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) report dated June 7, 2024. The report details their alleged misconduct in securing an US$88 million tender under the presidential goat scheme.
The duo purportedly used an unregistered entity, Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, to secure the tender, intended for supplying 632,000 goats over five years. However, investigations found no such registered company in Zimbabwe, only Blackdeck Private Limited, established in 2015 with Mpofu and Phinas Hazvineyi Kabisira as directors.
Despite receiving substantial advance payments from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, investigations allege that Mpofu and Chimombe did not fulfill their contractual obligations. Instead, they allegedly misappropriated funds, diverting them towards purchasing luxury properties and vehicles.
The payments made by the Ministry amounted to approximately ZWL$1.6 billion or US$7.7 million, transferred to Blackdeck's bank account at CABS. The Ministry made initial transfers on April 21, 2022, and June 29, 2022, totaling ZWL$1,600,000,000.
The case potentially implicates Mpofu and Chimombe in offenses under section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] for theft of trust property and section 8(2) of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
This scandal adds to their involvement in another controversy with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, where they allegedly secured a US$40 million tender alongside Wicknell Chivayo to supply electoral materials for the 2023 general elections. Zacc has expressed its intent to interview Chivayo, Chimombe, and Mpofu regarding suspected money laundering.
As of now, Chimombe and Mpofu are reportedly out of the country, as indicated in a letter from their legal representatives, Antonio and Dzvetero Legal Practitioners, to Zacc. They were unavailable for comment on these serious allegations.
The duo purportedly used an unregistered entity, Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, to secure the tender, intended for supplying 632,000 goats over five years. However, investigations found no such registered company in Zimbabwe, only Blackdeck Private Limited, established in 2015 with Mpofu and Phinas Hazvineyi Kabisira as directors.
Despite receiving substantial advance payments from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, investigations allege that Mpofu and Chimombe did not fulfill their contractual obligations. Instead, they allegedly misappropriated funds, diverting them towards purchasing luxury properties and vehicles.
The payments made by the Ministry amounted to approximately ZWL$1.6 billion or US$7.7 million, transferred to Blackdeck's bank account at CABS. The Ministry made initial transfers on April 21, 2022, and June 29, 2022, totaling ZWL$1,600,000,000.
The case potentially implicates Mpofu and Chimombe in offenses under section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] for theft of trust property and section 8(2) of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
This scandal adds to their involvement in another controversy with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, where they allegedly secured a US$40 million tender alongside Wicknell Chivayo to supply electoral materials for the 2023 general elections. Zacc has expressed its intent to interview Chivayo, Chimombe, and Mpofu regarding suspected money laundering.
As of now, Chimombe and Mpofu are reportedly out of the country, as indicated in a letter from their legal representatives, Antonio and Dzvetero Legal Practitioners, to Zacc. They were unavailable for comment on these serious allegations.
Source - newsday
