Africa-Press – Nigeria. The sentencing of Zanu PF members Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu has been postponed to December 3 after a State witness took the stand to deliver a victim impact statement in the US$7.7 million fraud case involving a botched Presidential Goat Scheme tender.
State witness Alban Mhindurwa, from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, told the court that the Presidential Goat Scheme was meant to be a catalyst for rapid rural livelihood improvement through the commercialisation of goat production. The programme was intended to boost food and nutrition security, improve incomes, and support the aspirations of Vision 2030.
He said that in the long term, the smallholder farmers who were supposed to receive the goats would have contributed to the growth of both domestic and export markets, ultimately benefiting the mainstream economy.
Mhindurwa testified that the Government, through the ministry, advanced the contractor ZWL1.6 billion (approximately US$7,712,197 at the time of the transaction) for the purchase and delivery of goats.
“The contractor delivered 4,208 goats valued at US$331,445.25 before suspending deliveries by the end of 2022, resulting in a massive blow to the scheme, which was expected to deliver approximately 126,400 goats annually to 120,000 households for five years,” Mhindurwa told the court.
The prosecution led evidence showing that an outstanding balance of US$7,380,751.84 — equivalent to 103,382 goats — should have been distributed to disadvantaged rural households.
Last Monday, defence lawyer Lovemore Madhuku filed an application to stay pre-sentencing proceedings, arguing that he intended to approach the Supreme Court to compel presiding judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda to release the written judgment, which he said was essential for preparing pre-sentencing submissions.
Justice Kwenda dismissed the application, insisting that the matter should proceed to pre-sentencing.
Defense lawyer Tafadzwa Dzvetero told the court last week that they had no option but to approach the Supreme Court directly.
Justice Kwenda warned Dzvetero and Madhuku to attend the proceedings without fail, saying the matter would continue even in their absence.
The court also dismissed an application by the pair to access the written judgment, which they argued was critical to their submissions. The judge advised the lawyers to view the judgment on YouTube, noting that he had not prevented them from accessing it online or from taking notes in court.
The accused argue that they are being deliberately denied access to the written judgment, which they claim is necessary for a fair public trial.
Chimombe and Mpofu were convicted by the High Court after a long, drama-filled trial. They have been in custody since their initial remand in June last year.
The court heard that the duo falsified supporting documents to secure a tender to supply 500,000 goats to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development for the Presidential Empowerment Scheme.
They allegedly submitted falsified documents — including a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority tax clearance certificate and a National Social Security Authority compliance certificate — in the name of Blackdeck Livestock & Poultry (Pvt) Ltd.
Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly connived to submit the falsified papers despite knowing that Blackdeck was not registered under Zimbabwean law.
The State said the misrepresentation created the false impression that Blackdeck was a legitimate, compliant company whose bid met tender requirements. As a result, authorities processed the bid as valid and awarded the tender to Blackdeck, prejudicing both the State and competing bidders.
Blackdeck ultimately failed to discharge its obligations, causing prejudice to the State amounting to US$7,712,197.
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