Chimombe And Mpofu's Bail Hearing Postponed To January 7
The bail hearing for Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, who face charges of US$7.7 million fraud in the US$88 million Presidential Goat Scheme, has been postponed to January 7, 2025. This follows an earlier postponement to January 3, 2025, announced on December 27, 2024.
According to The NewsHawks, the delay is due to Mpofu’s lawyer, Tapson Dzvetero, being on holiday. Consequently, the hearing for Chimombe was also postponed since their cases are closely related and should be addressed concurrently.
Chimombe and Mpofu were arrested in June 2024 and have been in detention ever since, with multiple bail applications being denied.
Their efforts to secure bail have been a lengthy and challenging process, as they continue to seek release under altered circumstances after facing repeated setbacks.
The duo argues that their arrest, detention, and prolonged pre-trial imprisonment violate their constitutional rights, particularly the right to bail and the right to be heard without undue delays.
However, High Court Justice Pisirayi Kwenda has dismissed their applications, labelling their claims as “frivolous” and stating that such issues should have been resolved at the magistrates’ court.
As it stands, Chimombe and Mpofu’s trial is set to continue on February 10, 2025.
Initially scheduled for January 17, 2025, the trial date was moved up after the defence, led by Lovemore Madhuku, pointed out that bail applications must be heard within 48 hours of being filed.
More: Pindula News
