On January 16, 2025, the High Court in Harare dismissed the bail application of business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, who are accused of defrauding the government through the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme. The duo was seeking to secure their release on bail under what they claimed were altered circumstances. However, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda ruled against granting them bail, citing the severity of the charges involving public funds and the potential for a long sentence if convicted, which could induce them to flee.
Chimombe and Mpofu are charged with fraud for allegedly embezzling US$7.7 million from the scheme, which was designed to economically empower rural communities by distributing goats. They are accused of forging documents, including a ZIMRA Tax Clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate, under the name of Blackdeck Private Limited to win a tender for supplying goats. The court’s decision has been met with varied reactions, with some expressing concerns over the fairness of denying bail, arguing that the accused should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Their legal team, led by Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Advocate Tapson Dzvetero, has indicated intentions to appeal the ruling, criticizing the prosecution’s case for lacking substantive evidence.
