Mike Chimombe falls ill in prison
Court forced to defer fraud trial as businessman asks for week to recover
By Staff Reporter
Fraud accused Mike Chimombe has reportedly fallen ill in prison, forcing the courts to defer his trial commencement with business partner Moses Mpofu.
His lawyer Norman Mugiya told High Court judge Pisirayi Kwenda on Monday that the businessman “is not in a state that he could stand trial” as he filed an application for postponement of trial commencement.
“The basis of the application is that the second accused person, Mike Chimombe is not feeling well and is not in a state that he could stand trial.
“I received a document dated the 22nd of February 2025 in which a medical practitioner attended to the second accused person.
“The document indicates that the accused is expected to recuperate within seven days. So, my application is that the matter be postponed to Monday next week, on the 3rd of March for commencement of trial,” Mugiya said.
Following the lawyer’s submissions, Justice Kwenda postponed the matter to next Monday.
Mpofu and Chimombe were arrested in June last year charged with tender fraud.
Their multiple attempts to secure bail have all failed.
They are accused of submitting forged documents under their company, Black Deck Private Limited as they applied to win a tender under the US$87,757,168 goat supply scheme introduced by government through the lands and agriculture ministry in 2021.
Under the scheme, a company was supposed to supply 632,001 goats to beneficiaries who would pass on the animals to the next needy household after kidding.
It is alleged that after winning the tender, it was Black Deck Livestock and Poultry Farming, an unregistered company, which signed documents with the ministry.
Mpofu represented the company and Chimombe acted as a witness.
On further review of Black Deck Private Limited’s documents, prosecutors say the company had no valid tax clearance certificate from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority for 2021 while a QR code attached to the National Social Security compliance certificate belonged to a different company called Skywalk Investments.
Both documents were required for one to be eligible to bid for the tender.
Acting on the misrepresentations, prosecutors say the ministry went on to pay 30 percent of the contract in the local currency, an amount of ZWL1.6 billion which was allegedly equivalent to US$7,712,197 in two instalments on April 21, 2022, and June 29, 2022.
Following delays in delivering the goats, the ministry engaged Black Deck and was informed that the company had mobilised 32,500 goats across the provinces which were ready to be distributed to the final beneficiaries. A verification process by the ministry at various sites, it is alleged, showed that the company only had 3,713 goats.
“After the ministry of lands realised that they were being deceived by the accused persons, they then cancelled the contract on August 29, 2022,” charges the NPA.
To date, the prosecution says 4,208 goats worth US$331,445.25 have been delivered and the ministry was prejudiced of US$7,380,751.85
