State Appeals Mpofu And Chimombe Sentences To Supreme Court

The state has declared that the High Court was too lenient on businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu and will appeal their sentences to the Supreme Court. This explosive announcement comes just hours after the two were sentenced to a combined 27 years in jail for a US$7.7 million (approx. R147 million) fraud against a government goat scheme.

Prosecutors insist the punishment does not reflect the gravity of the crime.  They had initially pushed for the maximum 35-year sentence, setting the stage for a new legal battle.

Prosecution To Challenge Sentence In Higher Court

According to H-Metro, state prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudi confirmed the intention to appeal, a day after Justice Pisirayi Kwenda delivered the sentence. Officials argue the sentences fail to deliver justice or act as a strong deterrent. The prosecution initially sought the maximum penalty of 35 years.

During the pre-sentencing hearing, Mabhaudi laid out the state’s position on the severity of the crime. He told the court:

“They stole from the poorest of the poor. Of the 85,000 goats they claimed to have mobilised, only 4,000 were delivered. This offence shocks the conscience.”

He detailed the misuse of funds, stating:

“Mpofu had spoken of how he upgraded roads, a dam and his farm using part of the US$7.7 million (approx. R147 million) which was never accounted for.”

The Sentences Deemed Insufficient

Justice Kwenda sentenced the pair at the Harare High Court on 8 December 2025 for defrauding the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme of US$7.7 million. Mpofu, 50, received 22 years, and Chimombe, 44, received 17 years. With suspensions, their effective terms are 15 and 12 years, respectively, conditional on them paying restitution totalling over US$3 million (approx. R57 million) by February 2026.

In his ruling, Justice Kwenda was scathing. He said:

“The Government of Zimbabwe trusted you to act with integrity and probity, but you betrayed that trust for personal enrichment. This court must send a clear message: enough is enough.”

The court found the duo guilty of using a fictitious company, Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, and of forging ZIMRA and NSSA documents to secure the lucrative contract intended to aid vulnerable communities.

A Legal War On Two Fronts

The state’s appeal means the case will now be fought on two fronts. The defence, representing Chimombe and Mpofu, has also indicated it will appeal both the conviction and the sentence to the Supreme Court. This confirms the dramatic courtroom saga is entering a new chapter almost immediately after the first verdict was read.

With the state now formally contesting the sentence’s severity after seeking a 35-year term, the final word on punishment in one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent fraud cases rests with the Supreme Court.

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