Goat scheme bail hearing stalled by Magistrate's a...

Goat scheme bail hearing stalled by Magistrate's absence

Philemon Jambaya

Assistant Editor

The highly anticipated bail hearing for businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu hit a snag yesterday as the presiding magistrate, Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa, was unexpectedly absent.

Harare regional magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei had to adjourn the proceedings until today, leaving the defense and prosecution in a state of limbo.

The court session was poised to delve deeper into the alleged US$7 million fraud case against Chimombe and Mpofu, stemming from their involvement in the Presidential Goat Scheme.

Chimombe's lawyer, Mr Tapson Dzvetero, was prepared to cross-examine the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission's lead investigator, Henry Chapwanya.

During the last hearing, Chapwanya revealed the prosecution's intention to present 13 witnesses, with statements already gathered from six. He raised concerns about potential witness tampering, alleging that the accused had interacted with some witnesses during negotiations for the goat supply tender with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development.

The crux of the case hinges on accusations that Mpofu and Chimombe resorted to document forgery to secure the Presidential Goat Scheme tender.

Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje presented evidence to support these claims, including a memo circulated by the accused on social media, which mentioned a US$4 million government allocation for the project.

Additionally, discrepancies were found in a purported NSSA clearance certificate and a forged compliance certificate submitted by Blackdeck Pvt Ltd, a company allegedly linked to the accused.

Court documents, including minutes from Ministry meetings and Chapwanya's affidavit, were admitted as exhibits. With the resumption of proceedings today, the focus will shift back to Chapwanya as the defense lawyers continue their cross-examination.