The State prosecution has formally recommended a 35-year prison sentence for businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, convicted of fraud over the botched Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday.
The two were found guilty after a full trial, during which evidence showed they obtained the tender to supply goats under the scheme using forged tax clearance and compliance documents, despite operating through an unregistered company.
Although the tender was meant to deliver 632,001 goats as part of a government empowerment initiative, the pair delivered only a tiny fraction — around 4,208 goats, worth far less than the amount paid to them.
Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudi told the court that the scale of deception and the misuse of public funds “shocks the conscience” and argued that only the maximum penalty under the law would serve as a deterrent.
During their trial and pre-sentencing hearings, the State also moved to forfeit properties believed to have been purchased with proceeds from the scam, adding to their legal woes.
Mpofu recently issued a public apology, expressing regret that the scheme did not go as planned, while Chimombe’s lawyers pleaded for leniency — contending that their client played a minimal role and pointing accusing fingers at oversight failures within the responsible ministry.
Sentencing on Monday will not only determine their prison terms but could also mark a precedent in the fight against corruption and graft in state-run empowerment programmes.
