Online Reporter
Peter Matika, Senior Court Writer
BULAWAYO Deputy Mayor, Edwin Ndlovu, has been acquitted of charges of abuse of office in a matter where he and co-accused Mpumelelo Moyo, the chairperson of the council’s finance and development committee, were accused of demanding a bribe.
Moyo is set to be back in court on Monday next week for continuation of trial. Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Richard Ramaboea, passed the ruling, where he noted that the State failed to produce evidence linking Ndlovu to the crime.
“The only evidence that linked Ndlovu to the case is Exhibit 5 (the document with the list of names) and the State failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Ndlovu is the one who authored the document in question,” he said.
Mr Ramaboea said the State cannot rely on Mr Kurauone Madziranyika (forensic scientist) evidence because the said document was authored by one person, when in actual fact the complainant said she authored the first part. “So, it’s either if the Madziranyika’s evidence is true then it means Tsitsi and Ndlovu have the same handwriting,” he said.
Clr Ndlovu and Moyo were facing charges of abuse of office linked to allegations of demanding a bribe to facilitate tender allocation from a contractor. They have since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Moyo is being represented by Mr Prince Butshe Dube of Mathonsi Law Chambers, who is representing while Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners, represented Clr Ndlovu. According to court records, between October 10 and November 14, 2024, in Bulawayo, Moyo, the first accused, and Ndlovu solicited a bribe of US$20 000 from Ms Tsitsi Mapfumo, the co-ordinator of a Chinese company called Labenmon Investments (Private) Limited.
The bribe they allegedly demanded was claimed to be a reward for 20 councillors who facilitated and approved the allocation of 5,6 hectares of land to Labenmon for the construction of a cement mixing plant.
Labenmon Investments initially made an unsuccessful application to the Bulawayo City Council for 10 hectares of land for a cement mixing plant. The company resubmitted the application in April 2024 and was offered 5,6 hectares.
It is alleged that after Labenmon Investments received the offer letter, the accused persons approached Ms Mapfumo, demanding a reward of US$20 000 in cash on behalf of the other 20 councillors for facilitating the approval. The two were arrested by officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).
