Chimombe, Mpofu to spend another week in prison

ZANU-PF central committee member and businessman Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu will remain in custody for another week following a court appearance before Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa. They are accused of defrauding the government of over US$7 million under the Presidential Goat Scheme.

Their bail ruling has been postponed to July 16. Defence counsel Tapson Dzvetero argued that their arrest is politically motivated, a claim disputed by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission lead investigating officer Henry Chapwanya, who asserted the commission's non-political stance.

Chimombe and Mpofu were arrested amid allegations of misappropriating funds intended for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme, a controversy stemming from their involvement with Wicknell Chivayo over a separate tender worth US$40 million for supplying electoral material to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.