Jailed Harare businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe are set to return to court, this Wednesday, as they seek leave to appeal both their conviction and sentence in a high-profile fraud case involving more than US$7 million.
The two were convicted last year after the court found them guilty of defrauding the Government under the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, an initiative designed to economically empower rural communities through livestock distribution.
Through their legal representatives, Mpofu and Chimombe are contesting the outcome of the trial, arguing that the court a quo misdirected itself on both matters of fact and law. They have maintained their innocence and insist that the conviction was unsafe.
If the court grants leave to appeal, the matter will be referred to the Supreme Court for determination. Should the application be dismissed, the pair may still petition the Supreme Court directly for redress.
The charges stem from a government tender, for the supply of goats under the empowerment programme, which was administered by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development. Mpofu, acting through his company, was awarded the tender but failed to deliver the goats despite having received payment, leading to the fraud charges.
Mpofu is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence, while Chimombe was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
The case has drawn significant public attention due to the scale of the alleged fraud and its impact on a programme intended to uplift vulnerable rural communities.
