Mike Chimombe And Moses Mpofu Denied Bail, Again
Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe have said they intend to appeal to the Supreme Court against a High Court ruling that dismissed their application for bail pending appeal.
The duo is accused of siphoning US$7 million from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme.
On Thursday, January 16, High Court judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda rejected their bail application, citing the seriousness of the offense, which could result in a 20-year prison sentence if they are convicted.
He argued that such a severe penalty could easily motivate the accused to abscond from the trial, regardless of any surety offered.
Mpofu and Chimombe had attempted to assure the court of their commitment to stand trial by offering title deeds to property and surrendering their passports.
However, the court deemed these measures inadequate, highlighting the risks of interference and non-attendance of the trial as outweighing the value of such sureties.
Through their lawyers, Chimombe and Mpofu expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling and disagreed with Justice Kwenda’s reasoning in denying them bail.
Lovemore Madhuku, representing Chimombe, said they were disappointed by the outcome and did not agree with the judge’s reasoning. He added:
Our clients have a right to appeal to the Supreme Court and we have been given instructions to do so, so we will be appealing as soon as we get the full judgment.
Chimombe and Mpofu have been in prison since June 2024, following their arrest, with multiple bail applications rejected by both the Magistrates’ and High Courts.
Their trial is scheduled to begin on February 10 and will proceed on a continuous roll.
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