HARARE – The National Prosecuting Authority on Wednesday withdrew corruption charges against business partners Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, who were accused of defrauding the City of Harare in a US$9 million tender to supply and install streetlights.
The matter was withdrawn before plea when the duo appeared before Justice Benjamin Chikowero of the Harare High Court for the commencement of their trial.
Whisper Mabhaudhi, for the National Prosecuting Authority, did not give reasons for the withdrawal.
Mpofu and Chimombe remain on trial in a separate matter in which they are accused of defrauding the ministry of agriculture in a scheme to supply goats.
“The withdrawal of the charges by the state is a welcome development,” Mpofu’s lawyer Tapson Dzvetero said outside court.
“Our clients are on the record regarding the weakness of the state case and that the charges they are facing are trumped up, baseless and unfounded.
“They have no case to answer. It is only unfortunate that such withdrawal happens after all this long and after the long pre-trial incarceration for so long.”
Chimombe’s lawyer Ashiel Mugiya added: “We had prepared and submitted our defence outlines. I’m certain the state just realised that its case against our clients was too weak.”
Last year Chimombe took the state to task challenging the NPA to prove how he is linked to the streetlights tender.
His challenge was however thrown out by magistrate Dennis Mangosi.
Mpofu was the main suspect in the alleged crime.
The two were arrested by officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) at a time they were already languishing in remand prison following their arrest over the $7 million goat supply tender.
Chimombe argued that he was neither an employee nor director of Juluka Enndo Joint Venture, the company at the centre of the deal.
The prosecution was alleging that the business partners criminally misrepresented facts when they submitted their list of previous works for consideration for the tender.
