Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro-Chief Court Reporter
THE State has dropped its prosecution of business associates Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who were accused of defrauding the Harare City Council of $260 000.
This decision brings to a halt a high-profile case centred on allegations of irregularities tied to a
$9 million streetlight rehabilitation project. The controversy began with an advance payment under the contract, which authorities alleged was secured through fraudulent means.
The two men faced accusations of exploiting tender processes and submitting falsified documents to gain an unfair advantage. Prosecutors claimed Mpofu’s company, Juluka Endo Joint Venture (Pvt) Ltd, failed to meet key tender requirements, including providing audited financial statements and proof of administrative payments.
Despite these gaps, council officials reportedly allowed Mpofu to resubmit his bid, during which he allegedly presented recycled bid securities and fraudulent audit records linked to non-existent consultancy firms.
Chimombe, for his part, was accused of signing the agreement as a witness, tying him to the alleged misconduct. The disputed advance payment followed soon after.
Initially set for trial earlier this week, the case was postponed to allow for further consultations by the Prosecutor-General.
When proceedings resumed yesterday, prosecutor Mr Wisper Mabhaudhi informed presiding judge, Justice Benjamin Chikowero, that the charges were being withdrawn before plea, citing the authority granted under Section 12 of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.
The court acknowledged the State’s decision, and the defendants were formally notified. Defence attorneys welcomed the withdrawal of the charges, pointing to what they described as a lack of credible evidence.
Advocate Tapson Dzvetero, representing Mpofu, criticised the prolonged legal process and pre-trial detention, asserting that his client had maintained all along that the accusations were baseless.
Chimombe’s legal counsel Professor Lovemore Madhuku commended the prosecution’s decision, adding that efforts would now shift to expediting related court matters previously deferred to late July.
The streetlight project, launched by the Harare City Council in January last year, attracted bids from 11 companies, including Juluka Endo. Contracts were awarded to multiple bidders, but Mpofu’s company became the focal point of scrutiny after allegations emerged that bid irregularities and document falsification played a role in securing the deal.
