Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, both well-known businessmen, are now facing serious trouble. Their problems began with a fight involving Wicknell Chivayo, their business partner. According to a high-level government official, Chivayo turned against them to protect himself and high-ranking officials who were involved in a large scandal. This scandal involved $100 million linked to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
Chimombe and Mpofu now face fraud charges connected to two major cases: the $7.7 million Presidential Goats Scheme and a $9.2 million street lights tender. However, their main mistake was getting into a fight with Chivayo. This disagreement revealed a larger issue of corruption among top government officials.
The authorities had known about these cases for a while, but nothing happened until the ZEC scandal became public. The fight with Chivayo made the situation worse because it brought attention to corruption happening in the government. A source said that if Chimombe and Mpofu had stayed quiet, their cases might have been ignored.
The ZEC scandal involves corruption during Zimbabwe’s 2023 general elections. This scandal connects powerful people, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is close to Chivayo. Other top officials, like Martin Rushwaya, the Secretary to the President, and Priscilla Chigumba, the chairperson of ZEC, are also involved. The President’s daughter, Chido, is linked to the misuse of public money in the election process.
Chimombe and Mpofu’s problems started when they had a money-related disagreement with Chivayo. This exposed the ZEC corruption scandal. While they were not arrested for the ZEC scandal, they were detained for their cases related to the Presidential Goats Scheme and the street lights tender.
Sources suggest that Chivayo and his powerful friends are now working to ensure Chimombe and Mpofu take the blame for revealing the corruption. Chimombe and Mpofu were even tricked into returning to Zimbabwe from China, where they were on a business trip. They were assured they would be safe, but once they came back, they were arrested.
Their lawyers had warned them not to return, fearing they would be sacrificed for exposing the truth, especially since Zimbabwe’s legal system does not always follow the rule of law in political cases. In Zimbabwe, it is common for the law to be used unfairly, especially in politically sensitive situations.
As expected, Chimombe and Mpofu have been denied bail multiple times. This is not because their charges are serious, but because they are being punished for causing problems for important people. On Wednesday, the High Court refused their bail application again for the goats scam case. This was the second time their request was turned down. Their other bail request, for the street lights case, was also denied.
High Court Judge Pisirayi Kwenda said Chimombe and Mpofu should remain in jail until their trial, which is scheduled for October 1. He explained that, since the trial date is so close, their bail application did not make sense.
The prosecutors accused Chimombe and Mpofu of using fake tax documents to secure government contracts. In the street lights case, magistrate Stanford Mambanje also refused to grant them bail, stating that they are wealthy and could easily leave the country to escape trial. The magistrate also noted that if they are found guilty, they could face a long time in prison.
Now, Chimombe and Mpofu are in a very difficult position. They are caught in a battle with their former partner, Chivayo, and the powerful people backing him. These high-ranking officials seem determined to let Chimombe and Mpofu take all the blame to protect themselves from the fallout of the ZEC scandal. It appears that Chimombe and Mpofu have been sacrificed, and it is hard to see how they will get out of this political and legal mess.
This article sensationalizes business disagreements and drags the government’s name through the mud without real evidence. Business partners have fallouts, and it’s unfair to blame the government for every legal issue that comes up.It’s easy for the media to cry ‘corruption’ every time high-profile names are mentioned, but let’s not forget that Zimbabwe is working hard to improve transparency. Just because someone knows top officials doesn’t mean there’s misconduct.
Instead of focusing on the charges of fraud, this article makes baseless claims about a supposed ‘scandal’ involving Mnangagwa and ZEC. Let the courts handle the case instead of turning it into a political narrative.
This is just another attempt to paint the government as corrupt without understanding the legal process. Chimombe and Mpofu are facing fraud charges, which should be dealt with legally instead of making it about politics.
Our government is serious about law and order. If there are fraud cases involving Chimombe and Mpofu, the justice system will handle it. President Mnangagwa has shown a commitment to accountability. Zimbabwe’s leaders don’t protect people just because they are wealthy or well-known. If Chimombe and Mpofu are guilty, they should face the consequences. Mnangagwa has always supported transparency and law enforcement.
It’s good to see that no one is above the law. Zimbabwe is moving forward in its fight against corruption, and Mnangagwa’s administration will ensure that justice is served fairly.