Chimombe, Mpofu denied bail

Yeukai Karengezeka

BUSINESSMEN Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, who face trial on allegations of US$7 million fraud under the Presidential Goat Scheme, were yesterday denied bail.

Ruling against their bail applications, Presiding magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa said the State had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the two were not good candidates for bail as prospects of conviction were high.

The State tendered evidence to support its allegation that the two were not good candidates for bail as they used forged documents to bid on the goat tender.

“In as much as this is not yet a trial, the accused were supposed to offer meaningful defence as to why they are denying the charges.

“They do not have a plausible defence. Chimombe said all papers submitted for bidding were authentic and that their contract was still valid, but they also failed to tender documentary evidence to prove that their company documents were legit,” she said.

Mrs Gofa also said Mpofu’s denial of allegations on the grounds that he was attending meetings at the Ministry of Agriculture not as part of Blackdeck (Pvt) Ltd, the company that won the goat supply tender, but as the leader of Economic Empowerment Group, could not be substantiated since he failed to tender documents to support that defence.

She said the two had a propensity to interfere with State witnesses and this is supported by the presser they shared on social media when the investigations by ZACC were pending.

Mrs Gofa added that the applicants interfered with investigations by posting a presser about the issue which was under investigation. Therefore if granted bail they could continue to do the same.

The two investigating officers from ZACC, Mr Henry Chapwanya and Mrs Gamuchirai Zimunhu also led evidence in court on why the duo should be denied bail.

It was their contention that if released on bail, there will be protests on the streets which will undermine peace and security in the nation as the country is expecting to host the SADC Summit in the next few weeks.

The accused persons were said, in addition, to be a flight risk. They will return to court on August 7 for indictment to the High Court where the trial will now be heard.

According to investigations done, their company Blackdeck Pvt Ltd did not have a valid tax clearance, and that the QR code and the reference on the NSSA compliance certificate were issued to a different company. Blackdeck was de-registered from the NSSA system in January 2016.

Acting on the misrepresentation and the assumption that what are alleged to be forged documents were genuine, on November 16, 2021, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development signed a contract with Blackdeck for the supply and delivery of 632 001 goats valued at US$87,7 million.

The court heard that between April and June 2022, the Ministry transferred a total of ZWL$1.6 billion, the equivalent to US7 712 197, into the Blackdeck bank account.

Consequently, their contract was cancelled on August 29, 2022 after Chimombe and Mpofu supplied just 4 208 goats valued at US$331 445 and went on to convert US$7 380 751 to their personal use.