Chivayo mocks jailed business partners, says their conviction is ‘inevitable’

HARARE – Controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo has continued to mock his incarcerated business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, labeling them ‘fraudsters’, adding that their conviction over corruption charges is “inevitable”.

Chimombe and Mpofu are facing fraud charges in connection with a US$7,7 million tender for the supply of goats under the Presidential Goat Scheme.

The tender was allegedly awarded illegally to their company. The duo is accused of misappropriating the funds by converting them for their personal use without delivering the goats.

They are also facing corruption charges together with several Harare City Council top officials in connection with a US$9,2 million street lights tender

Writing on his X handle, Chivayo stated that the two were not his friends. He said fraud charges leveled against them were correct and a conviction was unavoidable.

“Get it right, those two were never my friends and as a patriotic and law abiding citizen I’m extremely grateful such petty two cents criminals have been brought to book.

“I’m not a lawyer but the essential elements of ‘FRAUD’ are unlawful misrepresentation and prejudice. They used fake documents = they misrepresented,” he said.

“They got paid, didn’t deliver and converted the money to their own use = they prejudiced the government.

“Nyangwe vakano mutsa George Chikumbirike na Chris Anderson vabatsirane maonero angu apa a Conviction is inevitable…”

Chivayo gave Chimombe and Mpofu’s lawyers advice to tell the court during mitigation that their clients were breadwinners and had health problems.

“Kana vaka ngwara their lawyers must concentrate more researching on mitigation. E.g My lord our clients are both breadwinners and Father’s of 16 and 11 children each with different Mother’s , consequently they suffer from various venereal diseases which we can’t mention publicly here in court but can come and whisper to you in your chambers my Lord. Mungazoti ndine hutsinye iyo one strong point ye mitigation ndatovapa from Advocate Wicknell Chivayo SC,” he said.

The arrest of Chimombe and Mpofu came after revelations that Chivayo had corruptly won a tender to supply election materials worth more than US$100 million from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Chimombe and Mpofu were also part of the deal, which also featured top government officials, including ZEC Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba.

Chimombe and Mpofu started complaining about how the monies were being shared, resulting in the deal being leaked to the public through damning WhatsApp audios.

They were subsequently arrested and charged with fraud on matters not related to the ZEC deal. Many believe that Chivayo threw his business partners under the bus to protect high profile and security individuals involved in the ZEC deal.