This decision,
which could redefine the trajectory of their case, will be handed down by
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, who deferred his judgment from yesterday to fully
consider the arguments presented in court.
Last week,
there were intense arguments in court, with the defence urging the judge to
treat the bail application as an entirely new matter.
Led by the duo
of Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Advocate Tapson Dzvetero—the defence
delivered a scathing critique of the prosecution’s case, dismissing it as
riddled with contradictions and devoid of substantive merit.
Prof Madhuku
argued that the prosecution had failed to meet its burden of proof, asserting
that not even “an iota of evidence” had been provided to substantiate their
claims.
He further
derided the prosecution’s submission as incoherent, likening it to an exercise
in futility that could not rise to the dignity of a credible response.
In stark
contrast, the prosecution, led by Mr Whisper Mabhaudhi, mounted a spirited
defence of their position.
Mr Mabhaudhi
opposed the bail application, asserting that it was based on alleged “changed
circumstances” that he argued were neither new nor compelling.
He accused the
defence of attempting to re-litigate matters already settled by the court in
its earlier ruling.
Central to the
prosecution’s argument was the assertion that Chimombe and Mpofu pose a
substantial flight risk, particularly now that their case has taken a more
ominous turn.
Mr Mabhaudhi
contended that the defence had failed to demonstrate any legitimate grounds for
revisiting the issue of bail, insisting that the prior judgment of the court
should stand as the final word on the matter.
The courtroom
drama was nothing short of a masterclass in legal strategy, with both sides
wielding their arguments like swords in a duel.
The defence,
armed with constitutional principles and a meticulous dissection of the
prosecution’s case, sought to carve out a path to freedom for their clients.
The
prosecution, steadfast in its resolve, aimed to fortify the walls of detention,
invoking the sanctity of judicial precedent and the spectre of justice delayed.
At the heart of
this high-profile case lies the alleged misappropriation of a staggering US$7.7
million from the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, a programme designed to
uplift rural communities.
The gravity of
the allegations has cast a long shadow over the accused, whose legal troubles
have been marked by a series of contentious proceedings and procedural
skirmishes.
Only last
month, their attempt to escalate the matter to the Constitutional Court was met
with swift rejection. Justice Kwenda, in a damning rebuke, dismissed their
application as a calculated ploy to obstruct the wheels of justice. Herald
Dr Dotito 
Dumisani 
Zesa 
