According to The Herald the defence team wanted the
prosecution to furnish it with more documents of the case to craft their
defences. Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, who is sitting with two assessors, allowed
the postponement, but warned both the defence counsel and prosecution to come
to court prepared for trial.
The State did not oppose the application for postponement. Advocate
Garikayi Sithole, instructed by Mr Tapson Dzvetero, is now representing Mpofu
while Professor Lovemore Madhuku, instructed by Mr Ashley Mugiya, is now acting
for Chimombe.
Both lawyers have indicated that their clients will raise
constitutional issues after pleading to the charges. And they are seeking to
ventilate their constitutional issues by leading evidence from certain
witnesses involved in the case, and would want assistance from the State to
have them summoned to court to give evidence.
Chimombe and Mpofu have been charged with corruption involving
a sum of US$7,7 million allegedly siphoned from the Presidential Goat Pass-On
Scheme. The trial is expected to begin today.
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