KEY POINTS
- Mike Chimombe missed his fraud trial due to illness, delaying proceedings.
- The judge granted a postponement but denied a request for a state doctor’s examination.
- The trial has faced repeated delays, with the accused still in custody.
Jailed businessman Mike Chimombe failed to appear in court on Monday for his long-awaited fraud trial in connection with the $7 million Presidential Goats Scheme scandal.
His lawyer, Ashiel Mugiya, submitted a medical report to the High Court, stating that Chimombe was unwell and needed at least seven days to recover before standing trial.
“The second accused person, Mike Chimombe, is not in a state to stand trial,” Mugiya told the court. “A medical practitioner attended to him and indicated that he would require time to recuperate. We request the matter be postponed to March 3 for the trial to commence.”
The letter, dated February 22 and written by Dr. D. Ngwaru, was submitted as evidence to support the request for postponement.
Mugiya further requested that the court issue an order directing a state-appointed doctor to examine Chimombe, but this request was denied.
State prosecutor opposes request for further medical examination
State prosecutor Witness Mabhaudhi did not challenge the request for postponement but argued that there was no need for an additional medical assessment by state doctors.
“This is not a mental health issue,” Mabhaudhi said. “The medical report is not being contested, and we expect him to be present in court next Monday.”
Judge Pisirayi Kwenda agreed to postpone the trial but rejected Mugiya’s request for a court order mandating a state medical examination.
The judge ruled that Chimombe must be well enough to attend the hearing when it resumes on March 3.
Chimombe, along with co-accused businessman Moses Mpofu, has been in custody since his arrest in June 2024.
According to New Zimbabwe, the duo has made multiple unsuccessful attempts to secure bail, with their trial experiencing repeated delays since their indictment last year.
Ongoing delays and legal maneuvers slow fraud trial
Since their initial court appearance, Chimombe and Mpofu have pursued various legal avenues to delay proceedings, including an unsuccessful appeal for their case to be referred to the Constitutional Court.
Legal proceedings and procedural delays have stopped the trial from starting multiple times.
The accused are facing serious fraud charges linked to a government initiative meant to support farmers through the Presidential Goats Scheme.
Conviction in this case may result in a minimum prison term of 20 years.
Despite the continued delays, the state maintains that the case is ready for trial, and officials expect it to proceed as scheduled on March 3.
The High Court continues to be closely monitored by all Zimbabweans, as they wait for justice in one of the biggest corruption cases in national history.
