Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
THE pre-sentencing hearing of business partners Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe once again failed to proceed as scheduled yesterday after the prosecution was unable to provide the defence with the victim impact statement in time, leaving the defence unprepared for the inquiry.
The matter has now been rescheduled for tomorrow, by which point the defence is expected to have access to the written conviction judgment and all necessary documents for the proceedings.
A victim impact statement, a poignant account given by a crime victim, details the physical, emotional and financial toll inflicted by the crime.
These statements, presented during sentencing, offer victims a voice in the judicial process and aim to illuminate the human cost of the offence for the court, fostering both justice and healing.
In this case, witnesses had already submitted their accounts in affidavit form, paving the way for their inclusion in the inquiry.
Among key players in this unfolding drama is Mr Alban Mhidurwa, a central State witness and representative of the Ministry, who is set to present evidence on the economic losses purportedly caused by Mpofu and Chimombe’s fraudulent actions.
Present in court yesterday, Mr Mhidurwa was ready to testify, but Justice Pisirayi Kwenda postponed the hearing to tomorrow, firmly stating that his testimony would be heard on that date.
The defence, for their part, has indicated they will also summon witnesses for cross-examination, setting the stage for a contentious legal showdown.
The pre-sentencing inquiry aligns with new Sentencing Guidelines introduced in August 2023, which revolve around the concept of a presumptive penalty, a baseline punishment designed to strike a balance between harsher penalties for aggravating factors and more lenient ones for mitigating circumstances.
Courts are required to impose this presumptive penalty unless compelling reasons for deviation are documented in the judgment.
This system aims to bring greater consistency and fairness to sentencing, ensuring that justice is neither arbitrary nor capricious.
Mpofu and Chimombe’s legal troubles stem from their involvement in the explosive US$7,7 million Presidential Goat Scheme scandal.
Blackdeck (Private) Limited, led by Mpofu, secured the multimillion-dollar tender to supply goats to the Government, a contract that turned into a spectacular farce.
While they boasted of mobilising over 32 000 goats, only 3 713 were verified, leaving the Government defrauded of US$7,3 million.
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