Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, members of the ZANU-PF central committee, faced another day in custody following their bail hearing in Harare, which was adjourned without conclusion. The proceedings are set to continue before magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa on Friday.
Chimombe and Mpofu are accused of defrauding the government of US$7 million under the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme, launched in 2021 to uplift impoverished households across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces. The scheme aimed to procure over 600,000 special goat breeds through a tender process overseen by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development.
Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje detailed that four companies bid for the supply contract: Kotrum Enterprises (Pvt) Limited, Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, Millytake Enterprises (Pvt) Limited, and Zvikomborero Farms (Pvt) Limited. Allegedly, Chimombe and Mpofu conspired to submit a fraudulent Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) tax clearance certificate on behalf of Blackdeck, despite knowing the company was unregistered and lacked a valid certificate.
This forged document led the ministry to award Blackdeck the contract on November 3, 2021, for the supply and delivery of 632,001 goats valued at US$87,757,168. However, subsequent investigations uncovered discrepancies: Blackdeck had misrepresented its capacity and delivered only 208 goats worth US$331,445.25, despite receiving US$7,712,197.10 from the ministry.
As a result of these findings, the contract was terminated on August 29, 2022, due to the failure to fulfill the agreed-upon delivery obligations. Chimombe and Mpofu are accused of misappropriating the majority of the funds allocated for the scheme, prompting legal action against them.
Legal representation for Chimombe and Mpofu is provided by Ashwell Mugiya and Tapson Dzvetero. The case remains ongoing, with further developments expected in the upcoming court sessions.
In other news – Tristan Thompson pens down sweet birthday tribute to Khloe Kardashian
Tristan Thompson expressed heartfelt sentiments towards Khloé Kardashian on her 40th birthday, sharing his admiration for her as a mother and friend. On Thursday, June 27, the NBA star took to Instagram Story to celebrate the occasion, posting a series of photos alongside his warm wishes.
“Happy birthday Khloé!” Thompson began, showcasing four pictures that included family moments with their children True, 6, and Tatum, 22 months. Read More
