A Zimbabwean court has granted bail to two Bulawayo city officials accused of bribery. The High Court set bail at US$100 for Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu and Councillor Mpumelelo Moyo.
Justice Ngoni Nduna set strict bail terms. The officials must stay at their listed homes and give up their passports. They need to check in with anti-corruption officers each week. Moyo had to hand over his house papers too.
The case started at the local court. Magistrate Shepherd Mjanja scheduled the next hearing for December 13, 2024.
The state lawyer, Brenda Nyoni, shared details about the case. She said the officials asked for money from a Chinese company called Labenmon Investments. The company wanted land to build a cement plant.
The story began when Tsitsi Mapfumo from Labenmon first asked for land in 2023. The company tried again in 2024. The council gave them 5.6 hectares in October 2024.
Court papers say Moyo came to Mapfumo's house after that. He said the council members wanted a gift for helping with the land deal. Later, both Moyo and Ndlovu visited Mapfumo. They asked for US$20,000 to split among twenty council members.
The officials left a list of names with Mapfumo. She felt pushed into a corner. She told the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission about it. The commission set up a plan to catch the officials, which led to their arrest.
Justice Ngoni Nduna set strict bail terms. The officials must stay at their listed homes and give up their passports. They need to check in with anti-corruption officers each week. Moyo had to hand over his house papers too.
The case started at the local court. Magistrate Shepherd Mjanja scheduled the next hearing for December 13, 2024.
The state lawyer, Brenda Nyoni, shared details about the case. She said the officials asked for money from a Chinese company called Labenmon Investments. The company wanted land to build a cement plant.
The story began when Tsitsi Mapfumo from Labenmon first asked for land in 2023. The company tried again in 2024. The council gave them 5.6 hectares in October 2024.
Court papers say Moyo came to Mapfumo's house after that. He said the council members wanted a gift for helping with the land deal. Later, both Moyo and Ndlovu visited Mapfumo. They asked for US$20,000 to split among twenty council members.
The officials left a list of names with Mapfumo. She felt pushed into a corner. She told the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission about it. The commission set up a plan to catch the officials, which led to their arrest.
