The long-running and dramatic US$7.7 million (approx. R146 million) goat scheme fraud case involving Zanu PF affiliates Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu has been delayed once more after their lawyers were a no-show in court for a critical pre-sentencing hearing. This absence came just one day after the presiding judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, explicitly warned the lawyers against such a move.
The trio of advocates-Lovemore Madhuku, Ashiel Mugiya, and Tapson Dzvetero-were all absent from the High Court proceedings. This forced the state prosecutor, Whisper Mabhaudhi, and the court to postpone the matter to the 26th of November. The no-show follows a series of tense exchanges between the defence team and the bench.
The root of the current impasse lies in the defence’s demand for the court’s written judgment. On Monday, Advocate Madhuku had filed an application to halt the pre-sentencing, stating his intention to approach the Supreme Court to compel Justice Kwenda to release the written ruling. He argued it was essential for preparing their sentencing mitigation.
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Justice Kwenda, however, dismissed this application outright, insisting the matter must proceed. In a remarkable turn, the judge suggested the lawyers could access a recording of the verbal judgment on YouTube or rely on their own court notes. This suggestion was met with resistance from the defence, who view it as an infringement on their clients’ rights. Advocate Dzvetero stated on Monday, “We were left with no option except to approach the Supreme Court directly.”
Chimombe And Mpofu’s Lawyers A No-Show In Court For Ruling On US$7.7 Million Tender Case
The convicted men’s legal team is now arguing that there is a concerted effort to deny them a fair process. They maintain that the written judgment is not a trivial request but a fundamental component for a fair public trial, allowing them to properly formulate their arguments for a lesser sentence.
Regarding their failure to attend the subsequent hearing, the absent lawyers sent a colleague to seek a postponement, citing prior professional commitments elsewhere. This left the court with little choice but to adjourn, despite the judge’s previous warning that the hearing would continue in their absence.
Chimombe and Mpofu were remanded in custody last June and have since been convicted on charges of defrauding the state. The case revolves around a tender to supply 500,000 goats to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development for a Presidential Empowerment Scheme.
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The court found that the pair conspired to submit falsified documents in the name of a company called Blackdeck Livestock & Poultry (Pvt) Ltd. These documents, including tax and social security compliance certificates, were designed to create the illusion that Blackdeck was a legitimate, registered entity that met all the tender requirements.
The State successfully argued that by dealing with this “non-existent entity,” officials were duped into accepting an invalid bid and awarding the tender to Blackdeck. The company subsequently failed to deliver on the massive contract, causing a total prejudice to the state of US$7,712,197 (approx. R146.5 million). The two men now await their fate as their lawyers prepare for a Supreme Court battle.
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The post Chimombe And Mpofu’s Lawyers A No-Show In Court For Ruling On US$7.7 Million Tender Case appeared first on iHarare News.
