The High Court has dismissed an application by jailed businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe to appeal their convictions and sentences at the Supreme Court. Justice Pisirayi Kwenda ruled that the trial court’s judgment was proper and followed sentencing guidelines. The court noted that any potential error in the sentencing actually favoured the accused and that the State had accepted the sentences.
Mpofu and Chimombe were convicted of defrauding the Government of over US$7 million under the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme and are serving sentences of 17 years and 12 years, respectively.
