State Moves To Seize Chimombe And Mpofu’s Assets

State moves to strip Chimombe and Mpofu’s assets after their recent fraud conviction as it seeks to implement the money laundering act. Following their fraud conviction just a fortnight ago, prosecutors have initiated proceedings under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, a powerful piece of legislation designed to recover assets acquired with the proceeds of crime.

The duo, who now await a sentencing hearing that could see them behind bars for a minimum of twenty years, are staring down the prospect of losing everything.

Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi confirmed the State’s intentions in court last Friday, stating that the necessary application is prepared and awaiting only the formal upload of the court’s written judgment. He articulated the procedural delay, saying, “Once the judgment is uploaded, then the State will file its application.” Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, the presiding judge in the case, assured the court that the detailed judgments for both men would be available by next Wednesday, setting the stage for the next phase of this dramatic legal battle.

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State Moves To Seize Chimombe And Mpofu’s Assets

The case centres on a colossal US$87 million tender for the supply of over 632,000 goats, part of a national livestock scheme run by the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture. The State proved that Chimombe and Mpofu’s company, Blackdeck Private Limited, secured the deal in September 2021 through a series of brazen deceptions. Investigations revealed the company lacked a valid tax clearance and presented a fake compliance certificate. In a further twist, the contract was signed not by Blackdeck but by an unregistered entity called Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming.

Relying on these fraudulent documents, the ministry paid out ZWL$1.6 billion, equivalent to a staggering US$7.7 million at the time. The promised goats never materialised at the scale promised. While the company claimed to have mobilised tens of thousands of animals, a verification exercise found a paltry 3,713. A spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority outlined the culmination of the scheme, stating,

“After the Ministry of Lands realised that they were being deceived by the accused persons, they then cancelled the contract on August 29, 2022.”

To date, the government has received only 4,208 goats, valued at US$331,445, leaving taxpayers prejudiced of a colossal US$7,380,751.

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With their conviction secured, the focus now shifts to the sentencing on November 17 and the parallel asset confiscation case. The State is poised to argue that the luxurious properties and other assets owned by Chimombe and Mpofu were purchased with the proceeds of the goat tender fraud. The pair, who have already spent over a year in remand prison, will return to court on November 14 for pre-sentencing proceedings. As the legal net tightens, the two businessmen face the very real possibility of a lengthy prison term and a return to a life stripped of the immense wealth they are accused of having illicitly acquired.

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