Tenderpreneur Titans Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu Face Fresh Fury Over US$260,000 Harare Street Lights Tender
Tenderpreneur Mike Chimombe and his associate Moses Mpofu are facing new charges over a US$260,000 street lights tender in Harare’s central business district.
A Fraudulent Bid
The court heard that Chimombe and Mpofu, on March 26, 2024, submitted a bid that they had previously used in an unsuccessful tender. They then allegedly submitted fraudulent audit documents, claiming they were prepared by a consultancy company. However, an investigation revealed that the consultancy company was not registered.
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Phantom Company Lead to Lucrative Contract
As a result of the fraudulent submissions, the ENDD Joint Venture Pvt Ltd was awarded the contract to install street lights in Harare’s CBD. Mpofu and Chimombe’s ENDD Joint Venture company then received a partial payment of US$260,000, despite failing to deliver anything.
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Duo’s Troubles Deepen as New Charges Add to Existing Fraud Allegations
Chimombe and Mpofu are already in custody due to initial fraud allegations involving US$7 million from the Presidential Goat Scheme. Now, they face additional accusations that could keep them behind bars for even longer. They had been hoping for freedom after their legal team filed an appeal for bail pending trial at the High Court on Monday. However, this latest arrest may thwart their plans, even if the court rules in their favor.
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Harare City Council Officials Arrested Over Street Lights Scandal
Alongside Chimombe and Mpofu, ZACC has arrested five Harare City Council officials accused of improperly awarding the US$9.2 million street lights tender. The officials include Never Murerwa (62), supply chain manager in the Procurement Management Unit; Jabulani Mukomazi (44), principal buyer; Denford Zhungu (69), principal accountant; Tawanda Mutenhabundo (29), engineering technician; and Hosiah Chisango, the Harare town clerk, who was arrested over the scandal.
