News / National
Chivayo sinks business partners
06 Dec 2024 at 11:34hrs | Views
Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo has intensified his legal feud with former business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, both of whom are embroiled in a fraud scandal over a dubious US$7 million goat supply scheme under the Presidential Goats Scheme.
In a significant legal victory, the High Court yesterday dismissed Chimombe and Mpofu's application to have their fraud case referred to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt). The court ruled that their claims of constitutional rights violations were unfounded and should have been resolved at the magistrates' court level.
The dismissal of the ConCourt application ensures that Chimombe and Mpofu will remain in remand prison as their trial continues. The duo was arrested in June over allegations of forging documents for their company, Black Deck Private Limited, to fraudulently secure a tender worth over US$7 million.
Their trial is now scheduled to resume on February 10, 2025, extending their time behind bars.
Chivayo, who was cleared last month by the Harare High Court after it dismissed a subpoena requiring him to testify in the corruption case, has been vocal about his disdain for his former associates.
Labeling Chimombe and Mpofu as "serial extortionists," Chivayo has accused them of fabricating evidence and attempting to blackmail him into paying millions over the controversial US$100 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) tender, which has been at the center of widespread public scrutiny.
"They survive on manufacturing fake telephonic messages, fabricating videographic images, forging documents, and engineering voice recordings to blackmail unsuspecting businessmen," Chivayo alleged, adding that they deserve to "rot in jail."
The core of the legal battle lies in the alleged fraud involving the Presidential Goats Scheme. Prosecutors claim Chimombe and Mpofu used forged documents to secure a government tender, raising questions about corruption in public procurement processes.
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda's firm rejection of their application to escalate the matter to the ConCourt has been seen as a blow to their defense strategy and a validation of Chivayo's claims.
The backdrop of this drama is the controversial US$100 million ZEC tender, which has caused uproar over alleged corruption. While Chivayo has been linked to the tender, he maintains that Chimombe and Mpofu's claims are part of a broader scheme to extort money from him.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about Chivayo's public statements, suggesting that his aggressive stance could be seen as interference in the judicial process. His remarks, which appear to influence public opinion and potentially the legal proceedings, have sparked debate about the impartiality of the justice system.
With Chimombe and Mpofu's trial set to continue next year, the case remains a high-profile example of the entanglement of politics, business, and alleged corruption in Zimbabwe. As the legal drama unfolds, all eyes will be on whether justice prevails in a case that has captivated the nation and cast a spotlight on systemic issues within public procurement.
In a significant legal victory, the High Court yesterday dismissed Chimombe and Mpofu's application to have their fraud case referred to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt). The court ruled that their claims of constitutional rights violations were unfounded and should have been resolved at the magistrates' court level.
The dismissal of the ConCourt application ensures that Chimombe and Mpofu will remain in remand prison as their trial continues. The duo was arrested in June over allegations of forging documents for their company, Black Deck Private Limited, to fraudulently secure a tender worth over US$7 million.
Their trial is now scheduled to resume on February 10, 2025, extending their time behind bars.
Chivayo, who was cleared last month by the Harare High Court after it dismissed a subpoena requiring him to testify in the corruption case, has been vocal about his disdain for his former associates.
Labeling Chimombe and Mpofu as "serial extortionists," Chivayo has accused them of fabricating evidence and attempting to blackmail him into paying millions over the controversial US$100 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) tender, which has been at the center of widespread public scrutiny.
The core of the legal battle lies in the alleged fraud involving the Presidential Goats Scheme. Prosecutors claim Chimombe and Mpofu used forged documents to secure a government tender, raising questions about corruption in public procurement processes.
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda's firm rejection of their application to escalate the matter to the ConCourt has been seen as a blow to their defense strategy and a validation of Chivayo's claims.
The backdrop of this drama is the controversial US$100 million ZEC tender, which has caused uproar over alleged corruption. While Chivayo has been linked to the tender, he maintains that Chimombe and Mpofu's claims are part of a broader scheme to extort money from him.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about Chivayo's public statements, suggesting that his aggressive stance could be seen as interference in the judicial process. His remarks, which appear to influence public opinion and potentially the legal proceedings, have sparked debate about the impartiality of the justice system.
With Chimombe and Mpofu's trial set to continue next year, the case remains a high-profile example of the entanglement of politics, business, and alleged corruption in Zimbabwe. As the legal drama unfolds, all eyes will be on whether justice prevails in a case that has captivated the nation and cast a spotlight on systemic issues within public procurement.
Source - online
