Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu allegedly locked himself inside his office in an attempt to avoid arrest by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission investigators, a court heard on Monday.
Prosecutor Milton Moyo told Magistrate Isheunesu Matova that the Ward 8 councillor barricaded himself inside a private office at Gracious Driving School before ZACC officers hired a locksmith to enter the premises and arrest him.
Moyo argued that the alleged conduct was inconsistent with that of an innocent person and urged the court to dismiss an application by the defence opposing Ndlovu’s placement on remand. The prosecution’s characterisation was contested by the defence, and the allegations have not been tested at trial.
Ndlovu appeared alongside Ward 28 councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu and former Ward 22 councillor Alderman Rodney Jele. The three accused persons are facing allegations that they solicited a US$52 000 bribe from businessman Thulani Mthuli Matshazi.
The National Prosecuting Authority alleges that the accused targeted Matshazi after his company, Mkhuze Global Investments, secured a 2023 lease to develop a Hilton hotel franchise.
According to the prosecution, the alleged demand was made during a meeting arranged by Jele at a Matsheumhlope lodge on August 14. The councillors allegedly threatened to use their positions on the council’s stand allocation subcommittee to have Matshazi’s lease cancelled unless he paid US$52 000, purportedly to match an offer from another interested party.
The State further alleges that Matshazi was warned that the lease would be withdrawn at a committee meeting scheduled for August 19 and would then be put before a full council vote in September.
Matshazi reportedly approached ZACC on August 21. The following day, investigators allegedly organised a sting operation in which US$5 000 in trap money was delivered to Jele at Matshazi’s home.
Jele was arrested while he was allegedly counting the money, the prosecution told the court.
The two serving councillors’ lawyers applied for their clients to be removed from remand before they pleaded. They argued that the State had not produced evidence linking the councillors to the alleged offence.
Jele’s lawyer, Prince Butshe Dube, separately alleged that his client had been denied access to legal representation and pressured into signing a statement. Dube indicated that the defence would challenge the statement, arguing that it had been obtained under coercion.
The prosecution said the allegation would be investigated.
Magistrate Matova postponed his ruling on the remand application to Tuesday.
The latest case adds to scrutiny surrounding Ndlovu, who reportedly escaped conviction in a separate 2024 land-lease bribery matter after the court found that handwriting evidence presented by the State was contradictory.
The current proceedings remain at the remand stage. The accused persons are presumed innocent unless convicted by a competent court.
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