The highly anticipated trial of Harare controversial entrepreneurs Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, accused of embezzling a staggering US$7.7 million from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, has been scheduled to take place at the Harare High Court from October 1 to 4.
Following a readiness declaration by the prosecution, Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa has formally indicted the duo, paving the way for the trial to proceed.
Chimombe and Mpofu will face fraud charges in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds from the scheme.
“Everything is now in order. May it also be noted that l have served the accused with State papers, including documentary evidence which includes Government Gazette, CR14, tax clearance, and the contract addendum,” said Mr Anesu Chirenje.
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The prosecution alleges that Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu fabricated a ZIMRA tax clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate for Blackdeck Private Limited, which they then used in a tender application submitted to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development.
The forged documents falsely claimed that Blackdeck was compliant with ZIMRA and NSSA requirements.
However, investigations revealed that the NSSA certificate was actually issued to a different company, and Blackdeck had been deregistered from the NSSA system since January 2016.
Furthermore, it was discovered that Blackdeck did not have a valid ZIMRA tax clearance certificate for 2021, and the QR code on the forged certificate belonged to another company.
Based on this misrepresentation, the Ministry of Agriculture awarded a contract to Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming on November 16, 2021, to supply and deliver goats worth US$87,757,168 for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.
