Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku Court Reporter
WARD 26 Councillor Mpumelelo Moyo, who was granted bail pending appeal against his conviction in a bribery case for demanding US$20 000 from a local company, has had his appeal against conviction and sentence dismissed.
Cllr Moyo, who faced bribery charges for demanding US$20 000 from Labenmon Investments in exchange for land to construct a cement mixing plant in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb, was sentenced to 18 months, of which six months were suspended, and was supposed to serve 12 months behind bars.
Cllr Moyo appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judges Justices Munamato Mutevedzi and Bongani Ndlovu.
They dismissed the appeal, stating that his new lawyer, Mr Tinashe Runganga, has to prepare grounds of appeal.
Cllr Moyo was initially represented by Mr Prince Butshe of Butshe and Partners, who had submitted grounds of appeal on behalf of Moyo.
However, along the way Moyo ditched Mr Butshe and engaged Mr Nqobani Sithole and later engaged Mr Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers.
“There are two appeals before us and you have presented a third one for the same applicant. So, which one the court should entertain? The matter is struck off the roll and go prepare grounds of appeal stating that you are the one representing the applicant,” said Justice Mutevedzi.
According to the State, Moyo, chair of the Finance and Development Committee, solicited the bribe from Labenmon Investments in exchange for facilitating the approval of a 5.6-hectare piece of land in Cowdray Park suburb, where the company intended to construct a cement mixing plant. Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission officers arrested
Moyo shortly after he received the money from Ms Nyathi at her house, after she had set a trap.
Ms Nyathi lured Moyo to her house to collect US$20 000. Moyo claimed that a total of 20 councillors had facilitated the approval of the land, and they each wanted US$1 000.
