By Staff Reporter
FRAUD accused businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu have been denied bail by the Harare Magistrates Court.
The two were arrested on allegations of defrauding the government of over US$7 million in a botched Presidential Goat Scheme.
They will be back in court on August 7 for their indictment to the High Court for trial.
Delivering their bail ruling Tuesday, Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa said they might flee from Zimbabwe and no bail condition can prevent this.
She also mentioned that if released, there may be an uproar from the public.
“The State has managed to proffer compelling reasons for the accused to be denied bail.
“Court hereby secures the needs of the justice , the applicants might reoffend , cause people to demonstrate , they might flee to other countries there are no bail conditions that alleviate these fears , bail is hereby denied,” she ruled.
Gofa also added that the two were facing a serious offence and must proffer to the court meaningful defence rather than mere denial
Speaking after the bail denial ruling, their lawyer, Ashiel Mugiya said they have instructions to appeal the bail ruling at the High Court.
“ We do not agree with the judgment but we respect it. Where we are disgruntled by a judgment if you are in an inferior court, you approach another court so our instructions from our clients were that if the magistrate court denies us bail, we would appeal to the High Court and that is precisely what we are going to do.
“There is a likelihood that the High Court might try the case differently,” Mugiya said.
