Online Reporter
Peter Matika
CONVICTED Bulawayo drug dealer Gary Bell has walked out of prison after the High Court granted him US$500 bail pending appeal.
Bell, a well-known socialite, was sentenced last month to 18 months in jail for drug possession after detectives found cocaine and ecstasy during a sting operation on Valentine’s Day. Six months of the sentence had been suspended.
Justice Mposeni Dube freed him yesterday after the State admitted the magistrate had failed to give reasons for a custodial sentence. Prosecutor Kenneth Shava told the court that offenders sentenced to 24 months or less are usually considered for a fine or community service.
“The main factors in bail pending appeal are the chances of success, the risk of absconding, and the individual’s right to liberty,” said Shava.
Bell (42) was busted earlier this year after a midnight swoop at a posh Bulawayo pub, where detectives pounced following a tip-off. At his Burnside home, police recovered sachets of cocaine hidden in a jewellery box, ecstasy tablets, digital scales, and razor blades laced with powder. The drugs had a combined street value of over US$500.
The arrest sent shockwaves through Bulawayo’s party scene, with Bell accused of fuelling the city’s cocaine craze. His lawyer, Shepherd Chamunorwa, insists the drugs were planted and that police bungled procedures.
Now back on the streets, Bell has vowed to clear his name, but the appeal will decide if the flashy socialite beats the rap or heads back behind bars.
