ZANU PF central committee member Mike Chimombe and his business partner Moses Mpofu spent another night in remand prison after Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa remanded them in custody for continuation of bail application today.
Chimombe (43) and Mpofu (49) were arraigned before the courts for allegedly defrauding government of more than US$7 million meant for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.
Gofa remanded Chimombe and Mpofu in custody to today for continuation of their bail application.
The duo is being represented by Ashwell Mugiya and Tapson Dzvetero.
Investigating officer Gamuchirai Zimunhu said Chimombe and Mpofu could prejudice investigations by interfering with witnesses if given bail.
She said the case was of public interest, adding that releasing the businessmen would cause a public outcry and people would lose trust in the judicial system.
Zimunhu also told the court that Chimombe and Mpofu could abscond trial because the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission officers hunted down the duo before their arrest.
She said she was sceptical of their given addresses because Zacc officers had failed to see anyone at Mpofu’s place of residence.
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The prosecutor also argued that the duo had several houses and it would be difficult for the officers to locate them during trial.
The court also heard that Chimombe and Mpofu had interests outside Zimbabwe, adding that Zacc had five witness, including National Social Security Authority clearance documents and minutes of a meeting which they held with government officials where they made misrepresentations.
However, defence counsel Dzvetero said Chimombe and Mpofu were aware of the investigation, but they were out of the country.
He argued that it was not logical for the investigating officer to deny them bail simply because they have businesses outside the country.
Meanwhile, Chegutu magistrate Terrence Mashaire yesterday granted former Information deputy minister Bright Matonga US$600 bail.
Matonga was arrested on Monday for allegedly swindling a local farmer of US$470 400 worth of farming inputs.
As part of his bail conditions, Matonga was ordered to reside at Chigwell Farm in Chegutu, report once every Friday at Chegutu Police Station, not to interfere with State witnesses and to surrender his passport.
The complainant is Talbec Investment (Pvt) Ltd, represented by David Leonard van Breda.
It is the State’s case that sometime in 2016, the complainant had a lease agreement with Matonga to farm at his Chigwell Farm.
Van Breda operated for six years and Matonga suddenly chased his employees away from the farm.
He allegedly dismantled and stripped Van Breda’s equipment at the farm before selling it.
The value of the property is US$470 400 and nothing was recovered.
