Authorities faced difficulties in locating the alleged fraud suspects and business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, with the intent of apprehending them on Tuesday, Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa was told Thursday.
Speaking in court while opposing the accused persons’ bail application, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) investigating officer Gamuchirai Zimunhu said the two men evaded arrest on Tuesday.
Zimunhu said Chimombe and Mpofu later promised to visit the ZACC offices by 6 PM on Tuesday, but they ultimately failed to show up as agreed. She said (via <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/zacc-investigators-say-chimombe-mpofu-arrest-was-a-nightmare/">ZimLive)</a>:
<blockquote>
Public disorder may arise; people will no longer trust the justice system in that ZACC catches and releases people.
Accused may abscond from court. On Tuesday 25 June, we spent the greater part of the day manhunting for them and they were not at their place of residence.
We called them on Monday after they left. When Mr Chapwanya (the other IO) called Mr Mugiya to advise him that we wanted to see his client, Mr Chimombe said he was out of Harare and Mpofu was at his farm in Zvimba.
He promised to bring them before 6 PM but they didn’t come and Mugiya promised to bring them on Tuesday and we waited for them up to mid-day.
Mr Chapwanya advised Mugiya that his clients had turned hostile, which resulted in teams being deployed to manhunt the accused persons.
</blockquote>
Chimombe and Mpofu were finally arrested on Wednesday around 10 AM after they finally handed themselves in.
Zimunhu also said she was not satisfied with the address given by Mpofu. She said:
<blockquote>
I’m not sure if he stays at the Greendale house because the house is not yet complete. The gardener was present when we went there.
</blockquote>
Chimombe and Mpofu were on Friday, June 28, ordered to spend the weekend in remand prison after a bail ruling in their case was deferred to Monday, July 01.
The two individuals are accused of defrauding the government of $7 million that was earmarked for the Presidential Goat Scheme.
Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly failed to supply goats despite receiving full payment from the Government.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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ZACC Investigators Said Search For Chimombe And Mpofu Was Challenging

Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu have been ordered to spend the weekend in remand prison after a bail ruling in their case was deferred to Monday, July 01.
The two individuals are accused of defrauding the government of $7 million that was earmarked for the Presidential Goat Scheme.
On Monday, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission’s investigating officer, Gamuchirai Sibongile Zimunhu, will continue testifying against the duo, reported <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/chimombe-mpofu-to-spend-weekend-in-jail/">The Herald</a>.
Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly failed to supply goats despite receiving full payment from the Government.
On Friday, Zimunhu told the court that if the duo was released on bail, it could cause a public outcry as there was overwhelming evidence against Chimombe and Mpofu.
She said the public has an interest in the matter as the goats were supposed to benefit less privileged people in the country, hence people could protest if the two were granted bail.
Allegations are that Chimombe and Mpofu forged a ZIMRA Tax clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate in the name of Blackdeck Private Limited and attached them to 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.
Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly misrepresented that the company was in full compliance with ZIMRA and NSSA requirements.
However, investigations indicated that the QR code and the reference on the NSSA compliance certificate were issued to a different company.
It is further alleged that Blackdeck Private Limited was deregistered from the NSSA system in January 2016.
The NPA said 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. Said the NPA:
<blockquote>
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 total amount was ZWL1.6 billion and was equivalent to USD7 712 197. Following delays in the delivery of the goats, the Ministry of Lands officials made several engagements with the accused persons.
The accused persons misrepresented that they had mobilized 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.
</blockquote>
Chimombe and Mpofu reportedly 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. Nothing was recovered.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chimombe And Mpofu To Spend Weekend In Jail

The bail application by Moses Mpofu (49) and Mike Chimombe (43) commences this Thursday, June 27, at the Harare Magistrates.
During today’s court proceedings, the prosecution led oral evidence from the investigating officer. The bail hearing will resume tomorrow, Friday.
In a statement, the NPA said the accused persons forged a ZIMRA Tax clearance certificate and an NSSA compliance certificate in the name of Blackdeck Private Limited and attached them to 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.
Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly misrepresented that the company was in full compliance with ZIMRA and NSSA requirements.
However, investigations indicated that the QR code and the reference on the NSSA compliance certificate were issued to a different company.
It is further alleged that Blackdeck Private Limited was deregistered from the NSSA system in January 2016. 
The NPA said 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.
<blockquote>
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 total amount was ZWL1.6 billion and was equivalent to USD7 712 197. Following delays in the delivery of the goats, the Ministry of Lands officials made several engagements with the accused persons.
The accused persons misrepresented that they had mobilized 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.
</blockquote>
Chimombe and Mpofu reportedly 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. Nothing was recovered.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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