We Are Not Ready For Trial: Chimombe Lawyers
The trial of Harare businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe failed to start yesterday as the defence team said it was not ready.
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.
