State withdraws US$260K fraud charges against Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu
HARARE – The State has withdrawn fraud charges against business associates and prominent Zanu-PF members Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who were accused of defrauding the Harare City Council of US$260,000 in connection with a controversial streetlight contract.
The decision was announced in court on Wednesday, prior to the accused entering a plea. The alleged fraud stemmed from an advance payment linked to a US$9 million streetlight contract, which authorities had claimed was marred by irregularities.
The trial, initially slated for Tuesday, was postponed to today (Wednesday) due to ongoing consultations by the prosecution. During today’s proceedings, prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi informed the court of the State’s decision to withdraw the charges.
High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero subsequently informed Mpofu and Chimombe of the prosecution’s position.
Outside the court, in an interview with journalists, Mpofu’s lawyer, Tapson Dzvetero, welcomed the development stating that the two accused persons were clear about the state’s case.
“The withdrawal of the charges by the state is a welcome development,” Dzvetero stated.
“Our clients are on the record regarding the weakness of the state case and that the charges they are facing are trumped up, baseless and unfounded.
“They have no case to answer. It is only unfortunate that such withdrawal happens after all this long and after the long pre-trial incarceration for so long.”
Ashiel Mugiya, representing Mike Chimombe, echoed similar sentiments.
“We had prepared and submitted our defence outlines. I’m certain the state just realised that its case against our clients was too weak.”
Despite the withdrawal of charges in this case, Mpofu and Chimombe remain on trial in a separate matter, where they face accusations of defrauding the Ministry of Agriculture in a scheme related to the supply of goats.
Last year, Chimombe had challenged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prove his link to the streetlights tender, though his challenge was dismissed by magistrate Dennis Mangosi.
Mpofu was identified as the main suspect in the alleged streetlight fraud. The two were initially arrested by officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) while already in remand prison following their apprehension over the US$7 million goat supply tender.
Chimombe had contended that he was neither an employee nor a director of Juluka Enndo Joint Venture, the company central to the streetlight deal.
The prosecution had alleged that the business partners criminally misrepresented facts by submitting a fraudulent list of previous works for consideration for the tender.
The businessmen however were only arrested after allegedly leaking an audio recording of tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo bragging about his hold and capture of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to corruptly secure more government contracts.
