JUSTICE SERVED: Chimombe Jailed 17 Years, Mpofu 22 Years For Presidential Goat Scheme Fraud
Court Reporting: Sona Headlines Legal Desk | Date: 08 Dec 2025
The gavel has fallen on one of Zimbabwe's most audacious corruption cases. In a landmark ruling at the Harare High Court today, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda sentenced controversial businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu to lengthy prison terms for defrauding the government of funds meant for the poor.
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While the State pushed for a maximum of 35 years, Justice Kwenda settled on a presumptive sentence of 20 years, adjusting for individual circumstances. Large portions were suspended on conditions of good behavior and restitution, but both men will spend the next decade behind bars.
The Final Verdict
Justice Kwenda highlighted that the offense "shocks the conscience" as it targeted the poorest citizens.
MIKE CHIMOMBE
17 Years Total
Suspended: 5 Years (3 for good behavior, 2 for restitution).
Effective Sentence: 12 YEARS imprisonment.
MOSES MPOFU
22 Years Total
Suspended: 7 Years (3 for good behavior, 4 for restitution).
Effective Sentence: 15 YEARS imprisonment.
"A Non-Existent Company"
In his sentencing remarks, Justice Kwenda emphasized the premeditated nature of the crime. "We convicted the two as co-perpetrators. Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming was a non-existent company," he ruled.
The court noted that the forgery of tax clearance documents was of such high quality that it deceived seasoned officials from ZIMRA and NSSA, with only a QR code scan eventually revealing the fraud.
Despite being first-time offenders, the judge found overwhelming aggravating factors:
- The vast sum of public money involved.
- The lack of recovery of funds.
- The betrayal of a welfare scheme intended for orphans and the elderly.
The US$87.7M Scandal
The convictions stem from a US$87.7 million tender to supply 632,001 goats. Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi revealed that Mpofu used part of the US$7.7 million actually paid out to upgrade personal roads, a dam, and his farm.
The state painted a picture of calculated theft. "Of the 85,000 goats they claimed to have mobilised, only 4,000 were delivered," the prosecutor stated. "They stole from the poorest of the poor."
What Happens Next?
LAST MINUTE APOLOGIES
Too Little, Too Late
Facing jail, Moses Mpofu offered a subdued apology: "I want to say to Zimbabweans: I’m sorry. I regret that the Presidential Goat Scheme did not go as planned. I also apologise to President Emmerson Mnangagwa."
Chimombe's lawyer, Arshiel Mugiya, offered restitution using properties valued at nearly US$1 million, arguing his client was an "un-solicited person" who played a minor role.
SUPREME COURT APPEAL
Legal Battle Continues
Immediately following the sentencing, legal representatives for Chimombe and Mpofu indicated they will appeal both the conviction and the sentence. They have applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, signaling that this high-profile legal battle is not yet over.
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