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Mpofu, Chimombe fraud trial deferred
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The much-anticipated trial of business partners Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, accused of misappropriating millions of dollars from Zimbabwe's Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, has been postponed to February 20. The delay comes after a bereavement in the family of Chimombe's lawyer, Advocate Tapson Dzvetero. High Court Justice Pisirayi Kwenda granted the postponement to allow the lawyer to attend a funeral.
The case has drawn national attention, standing out as one of Zimbabwe's most prominent corruption scandals. Mpofu and Chimombe face charges of forgery and fraud tied to allegations of falsifying compliance certificates to secure government tenders.
The accusations against the duo center on the falsification of ZIMRA and NSSA compliance certificates under the name of Blackdeck Private Limited. These forged documents were allegedly submitted as part of a tender bid to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development for the supply and delivery of goats under the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme.
Investigations revealed critical discrepancies in the submitted paperwork. The QR code and reference on the NSSA compliance certificate reportedly belonged to a different entity, and records show Blackdeck (Pvt) Ltd had been deregistered from the NSSA system as far back as January 2016.
The trial has been marked by several delays and unsuccessful legal maneuvers. Mpofu and Chimombe have repeatedly sought to halt proceedings, claiming constitutional violations, but these attempts have failed. Last month, their bid for bail was denied by Justice Kwenda, who cited a significant risk of flight given the gravity of the charges and the potential 20-year prison sentence they face.
"The severity of the accusations, coupled with the substantial evidence presented, heightens the likelihood of absconding," Justice Kwenda noted in his ruling.
The Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, designed to benefit rural farmers through the distribution of livestock, has come under scrutiny following the allegations. The misappropriation of funds intended for community upliftment has sparked outrage and reignited debates about corruption and accountability within public programs.
As the trial continues to unfold, the postponement underscores the challenges of balancing procedural fairness with the urgency of resolving a case that has gripped the nation. With the rescheduled date now set for February 20, all eyes will be on the High Court as Mpofu and Chimombe face the mounting evidence against them.
The case has drawn national attention, standing out as one of Zimbabwe's most prominent corruption scandals. Mpofu and Chimombe face charges of forgery and fraud tied to allegations of falsifying compliance certificates to secure government tenders.
The accusations against the duo center on the falsification of ZIMRA and NSSA compliance certificates under the name of Blackdeck Private Limited. These forged documents were allegedly submitted as part of a tender bid to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development for the supply and delivery of goats under the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme.
Investigations revealed critical discrepancies in the submitted paperwork. The QR code and reference on the NSSA compliance certificate reportedly belonged to a different entity, and records show Blackdeck (Pvt) Ltd had been deregistered from the NSSA system as far back as January 2016.
The trial has been marked by several delays and unsuccessful legal maneuvers. Mpofu and Chimombe have repeatedly sought to halt proceedings, claiming constitutional violations, but these attempts have failed. Last month, their bid for bail was denied by Justice Kwenda, who cited a significant risk of flight given the gravity of the charges and the potential 20-year prison sentence they face.
"The severity of the accusations, coupled with the substantial evidence presented, heightens the likelihood of absconding," Justice Kwenda noted in his ruling.
The Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, designed to benefit rural farmers through the distribution of livestock, has come under scrutiny following the allegations. The misappropriation of funds intended for community upliftment has sparked outrage and reignited debates about corruption and accountability within public programs.
As the trial continues to unfold, the postponement underscores the challenges of balancing procedural fairness with the urgency of resolving a case that has gripped the nation. With the rescheduled date now set for February 20, all eyes will be on the High Court as Mpofu and Chimombe face the mounting evidence against them.
Source - The Herald
