Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, Parents of 24 Children, Face 35-Year Sentences for Corruption
Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, two businessmen recently convicted in a corruption scandal, revealed they have a total of 24 children and a combined wealth of approximately $3 million.
This information emerged as the State recommended their imprisonment for 35 years.
Chimombe, who is married to three wives and has 15 minor children, claims these cohildren rely on him for support, as reported by H-metro.
Mpofu has nine children ranging in age from six to 25. Together, they joked that their children could form two football teams, with enough players to spare.
Chimombe, who left school after O-Level, entered politics and built a business empire, stated he previously earned between $15,000 and $20,000 monthly.
He said he owns two houses valued at about $800,000 in Borrowdale and $120,000 in Chinhoyi. He also mentioned struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure.
During their pre-sentencing hearing, which extended late into the night, Chimombe and Mpofu sought shorter sentences due to their personal circumstances. They had been incarcerated for nearly 18 months prior to this hearing.
Both businessmen were convicted in October for their involvement in a scheme that mismanaged $7.38 million from a government program intended for goat procurement.
Chimombe argued that he was not the mastermind behind the fraud, while Mpofu admitted his mistakes and apologized for failing to check the legitimacy of the documents involved.
The prosecution urged the court to impose a strong sentence to deter future crimes, highlighting that the two worked together in committing the offense.
The prosecutor suggested a maximum of 35 years in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of misusing public funds.
The government had allocated $7.71 million for the delivery of goats, but by the end of 2022, only a small fraction had been fulfilled, leading to a substantial financial shortfall.
