The High Court has dismissed the latest application by businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe seeking leave to appeal their convictions and prison sentences to the Supreme Court, marking a significant setback in their efforts to overturn rulings in a high-profile fraud matter.

In a ruling delivered on 2 February 2026, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda ruled that both applications for leave to appeal were without merit and should be dismissed. The judge held that the trial court’s findings and the sentencing were properly conducted and aligned with legal standards, and that the State had accepted the reasoning at trial.

“The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed in both applications,” Justice Kwenda said in his judgment, effectively closing this chapter of their legal fight for now.

Mpofu and Chimombe were previously convicted by the same High Court in October and December 2025 of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme connected to a government livestock contract under the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme. Prosecutors proved that the two had misrepresented their capacity to supply 632,001 goats under a tender valued at tens of millions of dollars, and that only a tiny fraction of the livestock was delivered to beneficiaries.

In December 2025:

1. Moses Mpofu was sentenced to 22 years, with a portion suspended, resulting in 15 years effective imprisonment.
2. Mike Chimombe received 17 years, with some suspended, amounting to 12 years effective imprisonment.

Both men were then transferred to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to begin serving those sentences.

Before today’s ruling, Mpofu and Chimombe had mounted a legal challenge arguing that both their convictions and sentences were flawed. Among the grounds cited by their legal team were claims that the trial court misdirected itself on key facts, that the evidence was insufficient to prove criminal intent, and that the sentences were manifestly excessive.

The defence also raised broader points, including alleged irregularities in the legal process, and sought to characterise the prosecution as hostile. However, the High Court was not persuaded that these issues justified a full hearing at the Supreme Court.

The case has been one of Zimbabwe’s most closely watched recent corruption trials.

• The fraud allegations center on payments of approximately ZWL1.6 billion (about US$7.7 million) by the government, but only a tiny proportion of the contracted livestock was ever delivered.
• Prosecutors had initially sought significantly longer sentences — urging up to 35 years — to underline the gravity of the offence.

Mpofu and Chimombe’s legal battles have also included repeated bail applications and other challenges to court processes, many of which were dismissed by the High Court over the past year.

With the High Court having now refused leave to appeal, the convictions and sentences remain in force. The defence may still pursue remedies at the Supreme Court, although that would require meeting strict judicial criteria. For now, the case stands as a significant enforcement action against high-profile suspects in a major public funds scandal — reinforcing judicial resolve to uphold accountability for corruption linked to government tenders.