The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has confirmed the re-arrest of business partners Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu on new corruption charges.
Chimombe and Mpofu are accused of falsifying business documents to secure a streetlighting tender with the Harare City Council.
This comes on the heels of their previous incarceration over fraud charges related to a botched goat supply tender granted to them by the government.
The two businessmen have been languishing in prison for several weeks now for charges related to the Presidential Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 31 July, ZACC confirmed the fresh charges levelled against the two. ZACC said:
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Juluka Enndo Joint Venture officials Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe on allegations of corruptly using false documents.
Mpofu and Chimombe allegedly submitted false documents while applying for a Harare City Council tender to rehabilitate street lights.
Allegations are that sometime in May 2024, Harare City Council readvertised a tender for two lots to fix street lights.
Responding to the advert, Mpofu and Chimombe acting for Juluka Enndo Joint Venture misrepresented that they were compliant with the provisions of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets General Regulations by resubmitting a receipt which they had used in an earlier bid in which their company had been disqualified.
The accused also allegedly submitted a financial report claiming it was audited by a consultancy company which investigations have revealed is not registered.
They allegedly further misrepresented that they had undertaken similar work for City of Harare and were experienced in the area of street lights installations.
Juluka Enddo was awarded a tender on the basis of falsified information.
According to the statement, Mpofu and Chimombe were scheduled to appear at Harare Magistrate court today, Wednesday 31 July 2024.
Chimombe and Mpofu’s woes started when they accused Wicknell Chivayo, who is close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, of fraudulently changing their contract with South African company Ren-Form and Better Brands to supply voting material to ZEC in the run-up to the 2023 general elections.
Chimombe and Mpofu are also suspected to have leaked Chivayo’s voice notes in which he claimed to have captured Mnangagwa and also appeared to finger several high-ranking government officials in the ZEC scam.
In June, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Michael Reza announced that the agency has compiled a robust case against Chivayo, Chimombe, and Mpofu, concerning allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.
The contrasting fates of the various individuals accused of corruption in Zimbabwe have raised concerns about the impartiality and effectiveness of the country’s anti-graft initiatives.
On one hand, business partners Chimombe and
Mpofu have been languishing in jail for over a month due to fraud charges related to a botched goat supply tender.
However, the case of Chivayo presents a stark contrast. Despite also facing corruption allegations, Chivayo remains free, without any apparent threat of arrest.
More: Pindula News