The hearing on pre-sentencing for convicted businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe was temporarily halted, yesterday, after their defence team requested a postponement.
The lawyers argued that the hearing would only proceed once Justice Pisirayi Kwenda provides a written judgment of their conviction.
The defence said the written ruling was essential for preparing proper mitigation submissions. However, the State opposed the request, arguing that the written judgment was not necessary for the pre-sentencing process to continue.
Justice Kwenda was expected to rule on the application by late afternoon, yesterday.
Facts are that, Mpofu and Chimombe were recently found guilty of defrauding the Government of US$7 million through misrepresentations which allowed them to secure a tender to supply goats under the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.
