23/10/2025
Not My Company, Not My Crime?
How Mike Chimombe’s Defence Almost Won in the Presidential Goat Scandal
The gavel has fallen — businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe have been found guilty in the multi-million-dollar Presidential Goat Scheme fraud case. But the judgment reveals how Chimombe’s fate hung by a thread, with one crucial legal interpretation nearly setting him free.
From the start, Chimombe insisted he was an outsider, claiming he was neither a director nor shareholder of Blackdeck Livestock & Poultry Farming — the company behind the controversial tender. He argued he merely attended meetings as an Economic Empowerment Group (EEG) chairperson and friend to Mpofu, not as a co-conspirator.
His defence stressed that his own company, Militech Enterprises, had actually competed for the same tender and lost, questioning why he would then assist in defrauding the system on behalf of a rival. He denied any knowledge of forged ZIMRA or NSSA documents and claimed zero involvement in Blackdeck’s internal dealings.
But the court saw a different picture. Witnesses, including senior government officials, testified that Chimombe made key decisions alongside Mpofu, effectively representing Blackdeck in ministry meetings. Even Mpofu’s own testimony placed him in a decision-making role, contradicting his plea of innocence.
The turning point came when the judge invoked Section 277 of Zimbabwe’s Criminal Law Code, defining a de facto director as anyone who “controls or governs a company, whether lawfully or unlawfully.” Based on his influence and participation, Chimombe was found to have acted as a de facto director — and was thus legally responsible for the company’s fraudulent acts.
In the end, Chimombe’s “outsider” defence collapsed under the weight of evidence, sealing his conviction alongside Mpofu.
Was the judge right to classify Chimombe as a de facto director? Or did the court stretch the law too far?
Share your thoughts respectfully in the comment section. 👇
