State proposes 35 years for Chimombe, Mpofu
Court Reporter
THE prosecution is proposing a 35-year prison term for business partners Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who have been convicted of fraud linked to the Presidential Goat Scheme.
Sentencing is set for Monday.
The two were found guilty of using forged documents to secure a tender to supply 632 001 goats under a Government livestock pass-on scheme valued at US$87 757,16.
The tender was initially awarded to Blackdeck Private Limited, but the contract was later signed by an unregistered entity, Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development.
Investigations revealed the company lacked a valid tax clearance certificate for 2021.
A QR code on their NSSA compliance certificate was traced to an entirely different company, Skywalk Investments.
Prosecutor Mr Whisper Mabhaudi argued for a sentence far exceeding the standard 20-year penalty, citing aggravating factors.
“This offence shocks the conscience of man,” he said.
“The circumstances demand the maximum penalty under the law. The court must send a clear message to deter others and restore hope that those draining this nation’s economy will face justice.”
The defence pleaded for leniency. Mpofu’s lawyer, Mr John Koto, argued that the use of forged documents should not be equated to the actual performance of the contract.
Professor Lovemore Madhuku, acting for Chimombe, acknowledged the seriousness of the crime but insisted the two should be sentenced differently, emphasising that Chimombe’s role was minimal.
He urged the court to consider officials within the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development, whom he accused of failing in their due diligence during the tender evaluation process.
“The negligence of State officials is glaring. How could a committee led by a lawyer fail to uncover the fraud? The entire ministry evaluated nothing. This failure must be addressed,” said Prof Madhuku.
He also questioned the absence of a Government report quantifying the exact prejudice suffered by the State.
Mr Mabhaudi countered, emphasising that the real victims were not the State, but vulnerable groups — orphans, widows, the elderly, the disabled, and the chronically ill—identified through a public service database.
After the tender was awarded, the Ministry paid ZWL1,6bn in two instalments in 2022, equivalent to US$7 712,197 at the time.