Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu face trial for stealing over 7 million dollars from Zimbabwe's goat program. Their case hit a major roadblock when lawyers fought about a key document. The prosecution wanted to show the court an important tender paper during the trial. Defense lawyers said this move would hurt their clients since the document should have been shared earlier. The prosecution had refused to give them the paper before the trial started.
Defense lawyer Tapson Dzvetero said his client asked for the document many times but never received it. Three witnesses had already spoken and the defense had prepared their case without seeing the crucial paper. Dzvetero argued that bringing the document out at this stage broke criminal law rules. Judge Pisirayi Kwenda asked how the court could finish the case without looking at the document that started the whole problem. The defense admitted the paper was important but said the prosecution's mistake showed their case had problems.
Professor Lovemore Madhuku backed up the defense arguments and demanded the prosecution explain their legal reasoning. Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudi said the court needed to see the document to deliver justice. The judge decided to take a break and think about whether to allow the document. Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly used a fake company called Blackdeck Livestock to win a contract for over 632,000 goats worth 87.7 million dollars. The judge will announce his decision today.
Defense lawyer Tapson Dzvetero said his client asked for the document many times but never received it. Three witnesses had already spoken and the defense had prepared their case without seeing the crucial paper. Dzvetero argued that bringing the document out at this stage broke criminal law rules. Judge Pisirayi Kwenda asked how the court could finish the case without looking at the document that started the whole problem. The defense admitted the paper was important but said the prosecution's mistake showed their case had problems.
Professor Lovemore Madhuku backed up the defense arguments and demanded the prosecution explain their legal reasoning. Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudi said the court needed to see the document to deliver justice. The judge decided to take a break and think about whether to allow the document. Chimombe and Mpofu allegedly used a fake company called Blackdeck Livestock to win a contract for over 632,000 goats worth 87.7 million dollars. The judge will announce his decision today.
