Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, two businessmen who have been detained for two weekends, are expected back in court today to continue their bail plea.
The presiding Judge Marewanazvo Gofa’s illness caused the hearing to be postponed last week.
Mpofu and Chimombe’s bail application was delayed, therefore they were kept in remand custody. Lead investigator Henry Chapwanya, who is presently facing cross-examination by the defense, provided testimony, which prosecutor Anesu Chirenje presented.
To help impoverished households, the government introduced the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme in 2021 as part of the Rural Development Agenda. Over 500,000 goats of a rare breed were to be purchased for these households and the leaders of their villages as part of the scheme.
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The plan’s implementation was under the purview of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development, which also released a tender for the goats’ procurement and delivery.
It is alleged that Mike Chimombe and Mpofu took part in the tender process even though they were aware that Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, the company they represented, was not registered and did not have the required compliance certificates from the National Social Security Authority and ZIMRA Tax Clearance to be eligible.
Tinashe Chimombe served as Moses Mpofu’s witness in the deal, which was for Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming. For the purpose of buying goats, the ministry deposited about US$7,712,197 into the business’s CABS bank account.
The Ministry found that Mpofu and Chimombe could not perform under the contract since they only had 3,713 goats at their holding sites after looking into delivery delays.
