MPOFU, CHIMOMBE BACK IN COURT

Zvikomborero Parafini

BUSINESSMEN Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who spent the weekend in remand prison, are expected back in court today for the continuation of their bail hearing.

The matter was remanded to today from last Friday due to time constraints.

Last Friday, the investigating officer, Gamuchirai Zimunhu, told the court that it would not be in the interest of justice to release the duo because the case was of immense public interest. The court heard that in 2021, the Government of Zimbabwe, as part of the Rural Development Agenda, introduced the Presidential Goat Pass-on scheme targeting to alleviate poverty among the less privileged households across the country’s 10 provinces.

The Government had targeted to buy special goat breeds for households and their village heads and it anticipated to procure more than 500 000 goats for this scheme.

The Government mandated the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development to implement this programme and the Ministry flighted a tender for the supply and delivery of the goats.

Four companies — Kotrum Enterprises (Pvt) Limited, Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, Millytake Enterprises (Pvt) and Zvikomborero Farms (Pvt) Limited — responded to the Ministry by submitting their bids.

It is alleged that the duo participated in the tender knowing that Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming was not registered and does not have a valid ZIMRA Tax Clearance certificate and National Social Security Authority compliance certificate required for a company to be eligible to bid in that tender.

The state alleged that they forged a ZIMRA Tax clearance certificate (ITF263) bearing business partner number 0200158956 and a (NSSA) compliance certificate number.

The company won the tender for the supply and delivery of 632 001 goats for the scheme vlued at US$87 757 168.

The company was paid an equivalent of US$7 712 197 towards the purchasing of the goats. After delays in delivery, the Ministry made follow ups and discovered that the duo had no capacity to deliver the goats as they had only 3713 goats in their holding sites.

They delivered 4 208 goats valued at US$331 445. Anesu Chirenje appeared for the State.