Zimbabwe Court Reserves Ruling on Bail Appeal for Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu.

A High Court judge in Zimbabwe, Pisirayi Kwenda, has reserved his ruling on the bail appeal by businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu. The pair are accused of allegedly swindling the government of $7 million in a botched Presidential Goats Scheme.

Chimombe and Mpofu are seeking bail at the High Court after they were denied the same by a magistrate, Marewanazvo Gofa. Judge Kwenda stated that his “ruling should be ready by August 19.”

The two businessmen are accused of allegedly forging a ZIMRA Tax clearance certificate and a NSSA compliance certificate in the name of Blackdeck Private Limited. They are alleged to have attached these forged documents in a bidding document submitted to the Ministry of Land for a tender to supply and deliver goats for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.

The State opposed the duo’s bail appeal, arguing that the trial date has already been set. However, the lawyers representing Chimombe and Mpofu insisted that the indictment does not affect the present appeal, as the appellants have the right to challenge any decision they are dissatisfied with.