By A Correspondent

The trial of business partners Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who face fraud charges related to a US$7 million scam in the failed Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, has been postponed once more.

Scheduled to resume this Monday, the trial faced a delay due to the absence of Mpofu’s preferred legal counsel, Advocate Tapson Dzvetero, who is attending the funeral of his brother-in-law. As a result, the case was rescheduled for the 20th of this month, with proceedings expected to last for five days. The State plans to present three witnesses on that date.

Initially set to begin in October of last year, the trial was delayed following an application by the defendants seeking to refer the case to the Constitutional Court. However, the application was dismissed for lack of merit, allowing the trial to proceed.

Both Chimombe and Mpofu remain in custody after their bail application was denied last month. The court ruled that they posed a flight risk, as they face potential sentences of at least 20 years if convicted.

The charges against the two stem from allegations that they forged documents to secure a tender for supplying goats under the Presidential Goat Scheme. In addition, they are facing another fraud charge related to a US$9.2 million contract tied to the City of Harare’s street lights project.