Mpofu, Chimombe await verdict in $87M goat scheme fraud trial
Two Zimbabwean businessmen await a High Court decision on fraud charges related to an $87 million government livestock program. Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe allegedly manipulated the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme tender process through their company, Blackdeck. Prosecutors claim the pair submitted falsified tax and social security documents to secure the contract designed to supply goats to rural areas.
Justice Kwenda began delivering the verdict with assistance from two assessors after examining evidence compiled since last week. The trial started in February, following months of legal procedures that began in October. State prosecutors argued the defendants orchestrated deliberate deception to obtain public funds through fraudulent documentation.
Defense attorneys contested the accusations by challenging the strength of the evidence presented against their clients. Advocate Tapson Dzvetero and Professor Lovemore Madhuku questioned whether prosecutors proved the essential legal elements required for conviction under criminal statutes. The outcome will determine whether the business partners face penalties for their alleged role in the agricultural development scheme.
