Harare – Two prominent Zimbabwean businessmen, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, are set to learn whether they will spend up to 35 years in prison after being convicted in a high‑profile corruption case. The State has requested the maximum sentence, arguing that the scale of the offences warrants severe punishment.
In mitigation, the defendants highlighted their family responsibilities. Chimombe, who is married to three wives, said he supports 15 minor children, while Mpofu reported nine children aged between six and 25. The pair joked that their offspring could fill two football teams, with substitutes, in an attempt to humanise the courtroom atmosphere.
The court will now decide the final sentence, balancing the gravity of the corruption charges against the personal circumstances presented by the defence. The outcome will be closely watched, as it may signal the judiciary’s stance on white‑collar crime in Zimbabwe.