KEY POINTS
- Businessmen allege that senior officials pocketed funds from the ZEC election contract.
- Defendants claim selective prosecution after exposing details of corruption in tender.
- ZACC chair’s involvement allegedly affected their bail status in unrelated fraud case.
In Zimbabwe’s High Court on Tuesday, businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe claimed that government officials benefited primarily from a $40 million contract given to notorious entrepreneur Wicknell Chivayo by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The two, who are presently detained, assert that they are being persecuted for disclosing proof of corruption in the bidding process.
After audio recordings surfaced online accusing top officials of corrupt activities, Mpofu and Chimombe were arrested in June on fraud charges related to the Presidential Goat Scheme, a different government initiative.
According to the two individuals, they participated in the bidding process to provide ballot materials for the 2023 harmonized elections in collaboration with Chivayo and Ren-Form CC, a South African business.
The two contended that the prosecution is attempting to deflect attention from the ZEC tender controversy by
concentrating on other fraud cases. According to Mpofu, Chivayo told them that a large portion of the tender’s proceedswould go to “people in government,” drastically lowering their portion of the contract payment.
Accusations of selective prosecution
Chimombe and Mpofu expressed their worries about what they called selective prosecution in their request to have their case transferred to the Constitutional Court.
They said that instead of being questioned about the ZEC tender when they visited the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), they were questioned about the goat scam.
Although Mpofu and Chimombe assert that he has not been called, ZACC chairperson Michael Reza previously declared that Chivayo was also a person of interest in the investigation, raising concerns about potential preferential treatment.
The two claimed during their High Court hearing that Reza’s involvement was the reason their bail was denied. Reza appeared in court on the day of their initial hearing, according to Mpofu, who also stated that he counseled members of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) against releasing them on bond.
“We expected the ZEC issue to be addressed,” Mpofu said. He emphasized what he perceives to be selective targeting by saying, “Instead, we were charged over goats.”
According to New Zimbabwe, Chimombe also expressed alarm about what he called “direct interference” in their case, citing a meeting in which Reza allegedly persuaded the NPA to revoke their permission of bail.
State denies bias, maintains authority on bail adjustments
The state’s witness, Mabhaudhi, insisted that the prosecutor general had the power to change bail considerations at any point throughout the proceedings.
Even in high-profile cases like this one, he stressed, such prudence does not entail bias.
Due to allegations of corruption in Zimbabwe’s election contracting and concerns about the role of public authorities in allocating cash, the ongoing trial has garnered a lot of attention.
