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Zvikomborero Parafini
EMBATTLED business partners Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe are not suitable for bail because of a number of reasons, including that they are of NO FIXED ABODE, a magistrate ruled yesterday.
Regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa said she took judicial notice of the points raised by the State in opposing bail that there can be chaos if the duo is released on bail.
Magistrate Gofa added that the duo is of no fixed aboard and they have shown that they were reluctant to reveal their real addresses.
Even in their submissions, they proposed to reside at their given addresses, which are in dispute.
“The State has a strong case against them and has at this stage shown that the documents tendered for the bidding process are fake and they have high prospects of securing a conviction.
“Accused persons ought to give a meaningful defence and Chimombe told the court that he attended the meeting as a leader of a youth empowerment group who were ought to benefit from the scheme but didn’t show any documentation to support that claim.
“The two also claimed that the allegations are politically motivated but no politician was named to support their claims, in light of these points, no bail condition can alleviate the State’s fears,” she said.
The duo was remanded to August 7 for indictment for trial in the High Court, indicating that investigations are complete.
The court heard that in 2021, the Government introduced the Presidential Goat Pass-on scheme 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.
The State claims Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming, which 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, took part.
The State alleges the company forged a ZIMRA Tax clearance certificate and a Social Security registration number, which were attached to the bidding document.
The company won the tender and the Ministry paid an equivalent of US$7 712 197 into its bank accounts for the purchasing of the goats.
However, it was later found out that the company did not have the capacity to deliver the product and had only 3713 goats in its holding sites.
The company delivered 4 208 goats.
Online Reporter