Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
The prosecution wrapped up its case in the tense trial of Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu accused of orchestrating a US$7.7 million fraud linked to the Presidential Goats Pass-On Scheme.
Their defence team has signalled plans to seek a discharge at the close of the State’s case.
At the heart of the matter is a tender awarded to Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, tied to the supply of goats under the national scheme.
The State alleges that the accused forged critical documents, a Zimra tax clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate, using a phantom company to snatch the multi-million-dollar contract.
The defence argued that the company existed and the documents originated from official bodies, ruling out forgery by Mpofu and Chimombe.
The prosecution’s final witness, Professor Obert Jiri, now with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, as Permanent Secretary testified on Friday that by the time he joined the ministry in April 2022 as chief director, the tender had already been awarded to Blackdeck Pvt Ltd.
His role, he said, was to manage the contract and prepare for the scheme’s national launch in Chipinge, officiated by the President.
Prof Jiri recounted meetings with Mpofu, Chimombe and another representative from Blackdeck to discuss goat pricing.
He admitted that he could not recall all the individuals present, but noted that Mpofu and Chimombe led the discussions.
When the ministry began verifying the goats, Blackdeck claimed to have mobilised 32 500 in total — teams found far fewer animals at the designated centres.
Despite this, the national launch proceeded, though doubts lingered over the actual number of goats delivered.
Prof Jiri acknowledged that as the scheme progressed, Blackdeck’s capacity to fulfil the contract became questionable.
The ministry initiated steps to terminate the agreement, but Blackdeck resisted. Though the contract was subsequently terminated, it remains active to date.
Under cross-examination, by Mpofu’s lawyer Advocate Tapson Dzvetero, Prof Jiri confirmed that no criminal charges had been filed against Blackdeck by the ministry, even though the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) arrested Chimombe and Mpofu during its investigation.
When pressed on the allegations of forged documents, Prof Jiri stated that any such submissions were made in Blackdeck’s name.
He admitted he could not pinpoint an individual responsible, emphasising that all dealings were with the company.
He also confirmed that Blackdeck was a registered entity, as it would not have been eligible to bid for the tender otherwise.
Adv Dzvetero argued that the ministry’s grievance lay with Blackdeck, not the accused individuals.
He highlighted that the advance payment — intended as mobilisation fees — was less than 10 percent of the contract value, a breach that could have incapacitated Blackdeck’s ability to deliver.
Chimombe’s lawyer Mr Arshiel Mugiya zeroed in on the meetings, claiming Chimombe was abroad during price talks and could not have been present.
Prof Jiri said some meetings had no minutes, often informal roundtables or political rallies where no notes were taken.
The tender document, a lynchpin of this saga, outlines a plan to supply 632,001 goats in a project valued at US$87.7 million.
The trial now hinges on the interplay between the State’s allegations and the defence’s assertion that the accused acted within the confines of their roles as representatives of Blackdec.
