THE bail hearing for businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu on fraud charges involving US$7 million siphoned from the Presidential Goat Scheme could not resume yesterday due to the unavailability of the presiding magistrate, Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa.

The hearing was adjourned to tomorrow by Harare regional magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei with the expectation that the presiding magistrate would then be available.

The matter was supposed to continue with the cross examination of the leading investigating officer from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) by Chimombe's lawyer, Mr Tapson Dzvetero.

During the last court session, investigating officer Mr Henry Chapwanya told the court that when the trial opened, the prosecution intended to lead 13 witnesses and had already recorded six witness statements.

He submitted that there was a high likelihood that the two would interfere with witnesses since they had interacted with some of them during negotiations of the goat tender held with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development.

The State is alleging that Mpofu and Chimombe forged documents to win the tender for supplying goats under the Presidential Goat Scheme.

Prosecutor Mr Anesu Chirenje tendered documentary evidence in the form of a memo that was circulated on social media by the two, stating that the money they were given by the Government for the project was around US$4 million equivalent.

He also tendered a NSSA clearance certificate, which is said to be fake, and a forged compliance certificate in the name of Blackdeck Pvt Ltd, with this certificate and the bar code on the clearance certificate revealing a different company name.

The minutes recorded by the Ministry of Lands when they convened a meeting with Blackdeck Pvt Ltd and Chapwanya's affidavit were admitted into record as exhibits.

The matter continues tomorrow with cross examination of Mr Chapwanya by the defence lawyers.