Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
THE ruling on the fresh bail application by business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, accused of misappropriating millions of dollars from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, will be delivered today.
This decision, which could redefine the trajectory of their case, will be handed down by Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, who deferred his judgment from yesterday to fully consider the arguments presented in court.
Last week, there were intense arguments in court, with the defence urging the judge to treat the bail application as an entirely new matter.
Led by the duo of Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Advocate Tapson Dzvetero—the defence delivered a scathing critique of the prosecution’s case, dismissing it as riddled with contradictions and devoid of substantive merit.
Prof Madhuku argued that the prosecution had failed to meet its burden of proof, asserting that not even “an iota of evidence” had been provided to substantiate their claims.
He further derided the prosecution’s submission as incoherent, likening it to an exercise in futility that could not rise to the dignity of a credible response.
In stark contrast, the prosecution, led by Mr Whisper Mabhaudhi, mounted a spirited defence of their position.
Mr Mabhaudhi opposed the bail application, asserting that it was based on alleged “changed circumstances” that he argued were neither new nor compelling.
He accused the defence of attempting to re-litigate matters already settled by the court in its earlier ruling.
Central to the prosecution’s argument was the assertion that Chimombe and Mpofu pose a substantial flight risk, particularly now that their case has taken a more ominous turn.
Mr Mabhaudhi contended that the defence had failed to demonstrate any legitimate grounds for revisiting the issue of bail, insisting that the prior judgment of the court should stand as the final word on the matter.
The courtroom drama was nothing short of a masterclass in legal strategy, with both sides wielding their arguments like swords in a duel.
The defence, armed with constitutional principles and a meticulous dissection of the prosecution’s case, sought to carve out a path to freedom for their clients.
The prosecution, steadfast in its resolve, aimed to fortify the walls of detention, invoking the sanctity of judicial precedent and the spectre of justice delayed.
At the heart of this high-profile case lies the alleged misappropriation of a staggering US$7.7 million from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, a programme designed to uplift rural communities.
The gravity of the allegations has cast a long shadow over the accused, whose legal troubles have been marked by a series of contentious proceedings and procedural skirmishes.
Only last month, their attempt to escalate the matter to the Constitutional Court was met with swift rejection. Justice Kwenda, in a damning rebuke, dismissed their application as a calculated ploy to obstruct the wheels of justice.
