Incarcerated Bulawayo deputy mayor Edwin Ndlovu has challenged his arrest on bribery allegations, which he says happened under “strange” circumstances.
Ndlovu was arrested together with councillor Mpumelelo Moyo on allegations that they demanded a US$20 000 bribe from a Chinese company Labenmon Investments, which was allocated land by Bulawayo City Council to set up a cement manufacturing plant.
In his application to the High Court for bail pending trial, the deputy mayor said he was arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) detectives while following up on distress calls by Moyo.
Ndlovu said he was called by town clerk Christopher Dube who informed him that his fellow councillor had been arrested and he went to Mzilikazi police station to check on him.
He said the Zacc detectives ordered his detention without telling him the nature of the charges he was facing. He insisted that his arrest was illegal.
Ndlovu said he did not know the Labenmon Investments representative Tsitsi Mapfumo, who is said to be the complainant in the case.
“The arrest was very strange to say the least,” he said in the court application filed on Friday.
“Apart from not knowing Tsitsi Mapfumo, the allocation of land to Labenmon Investments followed council due procedures and processes
- Byo residents condemn council directive on swimming pools
- BCC acts on mosquito menace
- Ema, civic group in joint clean-up exercise
- Names vanish from voters roll
Keep Reading
“I am actually on public record welcoming such developments in Bulawayo.”
Zacc claimed that the duo was arrested soon after receiving trap money from Mapfumo. There have been reports that there were 20 councillors that were involved in the alleged crime, but only Moyo and Ndlovu are behind bars.
“The issue gets complicated because the list is allegedly written on a Labenom Investments letterhead. I have never had in my possession the letterhead of that company,” Ndlovu said in the application.
“I have no relations whatsoever with the company save for the official council business that was conducted and concluded at council chambers
“The officers also mentioned trap money. The trap does not involve me in any way. I have never been to the complainant’s house neither was I found at her premises
“The case against me is sinking sand.”
Ndlovu said he was a good candidate for bail as he had no previous criminal cases and was an established businessman in the city.
Labenmon Investments intends to set up its cement factory near Cowdray Park high density suburb. Both Ndlovu and Moyo were elected on the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change tickets.
Bulawayo City Council is controlled by the opposition.
