RUVIMBO MUCHENJE
LOCAL businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu were detained for the second night after appearing at the Rotten Row magistrates’ court in Harare for a bail application on a fraud charge.
Mpofu (49) and Chimombe (43) are facing fraud charges amounting to more than US$7 million under the US$88 million Presidential Goats Scheme for getting money, but failing to deliver.
While media reports initially said they had been paid US$40 million, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), which also raised that figure, now says they got RTGS1.6 billion (more than US$7.7 million).
The deal involved supplying more than 6 000 goats over a five-year period, but Mpofu and his colleague did not meet their side of the bargain, Zacc says.
It says the accused lied that they had mobilised 32 500 goats when in fact they only had 3 713 goats in their holding sites.
This led to cancellation of the deal with the ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development.
The accused only supplied a total of 4 208 goats valued at US$331 445 and went on to convert US$7 380 751 to their personal use, according to Zacc.
However, Mpofu says the amount they were paid was RTGS1.6 billion, which at the time was equivalent to US$4 million.
He also says Chimombe was not involved as a principal because he was an agent, together with four others.
Resultantly, the two were arrested on Wednesday morning over the issue and appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
The case was postponed to Thursday for bail application and ruling.
However, the two were denied bail and detained for the second night.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said:
“Allegations are that the accused persons forged a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Tax clearance certificate and a National Social Security Authority (NSSA) compliance certificate in the name of Blackdeck Private Limited and attached them in a bidding document which they submitted to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development for a tender for the supply and delivery of goats for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme. They misrepresented that the company was in full compliance with ZIMRA and NSSA requirements.”
The NPA says investigations indicated that the QR code and the reference on the NSSA compliance certificate were issued to a different company.
“It was further established Blackdeck Private limited was deregistered from the NSSA system in January 2016,” it says.
“Further investigations established that Blackdeck Private Limited was not issued with a ZIMRA tax clearance certificate for the year 2021 and that the QR code on the forged tax clearance certificate belonged to a different company.
“Acting on the misrepresentation, the Ministry of Lands contracted Blackdeck Private Limited on the 3rd of November 2021.”
The ministry transferred ZWL901 294 200 and ZWL698 705 800 on the 21st of April 2022 and the 29th of June 2022 respectively into their bank account, the NPA says.
“The total amount was ZWL1.6 billion and was equivalent to USD7 712 197. Following delays in the delivery of the goats, the ministry officials made several engagements with the accused persons. The accused persons misrepresented that they had mobilised 32 500 goats across the provinces which were ready to be distributed to the beneficiaries.
“However, a verification process revealed that the accused persons only had 3 713 goats in their holding sites.
The ministry cancelled the contract on the 29th of August 2022, following the discovery. The accused persons only supplied a total of 4 208 goats valued at USD331 445 and went on to convert USD7 380 751 to their personal use. Nothing was recovered.”
The two were remanded in custody to Friday for a further bail hearing.
