Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa
Harare – In a ruling on August 28, 2024, the High Court dismissed an appeal by Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe against the denial of bail pending their trial.
The two individuals were arraigned before the Magistrates Court in Harare on June 20, 2024, facing fraud charges. The charges stemmed from an alleged scheme involving Blackdeck Livestock & Poultry (Pvt) Ltd, a company which purportedly submitted falsified documents in a bid to secure a tender to supply 500,000 goats to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, for a presidential empowerment program.
The High Court upheld the State’s objection to the hearing of the appeal, finding that the grounds for the appeal were without merit. In the ruling, the court stated that “the objection by the State to the hearing of this appeal based on mootness is upheld and the appeal is dismissed.”
This decision effectively means that Mpofu and Chimombe will remain in custody as their trial on the fraud charges proceeds. The case has highlighted ongoing efforts by Zimbabwean authorities to crack down on corruption, particularly in government procurement processes.
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