The highly awaited trial of Harare businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu begins today in the High Court, where they are accused of embezzling $7.7 million from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme.
The duo is accused of falsifying documents, including a ZIMRA tax clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate, in order to gain a lucrative government contract.
Allegations against Chimombe and Mpofu
– Forged documents to win the tender for supplying goats under the Presidential Goat Scheme
– Misrepresented their company, Blackdeck Private Limited, as compliant with ZIMRA and NSSA requirements
– Failed to deliver 632,001 goats valued at $87.7 million despite receiving $7.7 million from the Ministry of Agriculture
– Only supplied 4,208 goats valued at $331,445 and converted the remaining $7.3 million to personal use Additional Charges
Prophet Passion Java has launched a civil claim against them, alleging they robbed him of $300,000 in connection with the street lighting tender.
Chimombe and Mpofu were previously denied bail at both the magistrates’ courts and the High Court since their arrest in July.
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, sitting alongside assessors, will preside over the trial, which is slated to last till Friday.
