HARARE – In a race against a court-imposed deadline, the family of convicted businessman Mike Chimombe has begun liquidating prime real estate in a desperate attempt to raise nearly US$1 million required for his partial freedom.
Mitchell Rusero, one of Chimombe’s three wives, has taken to social media to advertise five residential and commercial stands in Harare, including properties in Madokero, Sally Mugabe Heights, and the upscale Crowhill area.
The move follows a High Court order requiring Chimombe to pay back US$964,000 to the state by 26 February 2026 or face an additional two years in prison.
The most valuable asset listed is a 1.5-hectare commercial stand in Madokero, priced at US$200,000 and sold with title deeds. Mitchell Rusero has insisted on cash-only transactions, signalling urgency in the family’s efforts to meet the restitution deadline.
Chimombe, 44, was convicted in October 2025 alongside business partner Moses Mpofu for defrauding the government in the “Presidential Pass-On Goat Scheme.”
The scheme, intended to benefit rural farmers, saw only 4,208 goats delivered out of a promised 107,590, with over US$7.38 million in public funds unaccounted for.
In December 2025, High Court Judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda sentenced Chimombe to 17 years in prison, suspending two years on condition of the US$964,000 restitution. Failure to pay will activate the suspended sentence, extending his jail term.
During sentencing, Chimombe pleaded for leniency, citing his responsibilities to his three wives and 15 minor children.
“I first want to apologise to the President and the people of Zimbabwe,” co-accused Moses Mpofu told the court during proceedings.
“I regret everything that happened in the Presidential Pass-On Goat scheme.”
Chimombe’s legal team has since filed for leave to appeal both conviction and sentence, arguing that the court “went on a frolic of its own” in its interpretation of the charges.
The case has drawn public attention not only for its scale but also for Chimombe’s previously flamboyant lifestyle.
Once a prominent socialite and president of the Affirmative Action Group, he famously claimed to earn up to US$20,000 monthly and owned properties including a US$800,000 Borrowdale mansion.
The property sale underscores the dramatic reversal of fortune for the businessman, whose fall from grace has been closely followed by the public.
With the February deadline approaching, the success of these sales may determine whether Chimombe serves 12 or 14 years behind bars.
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