BULAWAYO – Ward 26 Councillor Mpumelelo Moyo has been sentenced to 12 months in jail after being convicted of demanding a US$20 000 bribe to facilitate a cement manufacturing project in Cowdray Park.
Moyo, who chaired the Bulawayo City Council’s finance and development committee was accused of soliciting the kickback from Labenmon Investments in exchange for approving 6 hectare plot for the project.
Bulawayo provincial magistrate Richard Ramaboea on Monday handed down Moyo an 18-month prison term and six months were suspended on condition of good behaviour thereby leaving him with an effective one-year sentence.
The State’s case is that Labenmon’s representative, Tsitsi Nyathi reported the matter to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) after Moyo became a ‘bug-boo’ on payment.
She later set up a meeting at her home where ZACC officers arrested the councillor shortly after he accepted marked cash.
Moyo had initially been jointly charged with deputy mayor Edwin Ndlovu, but the State withdrew charges against Ndlovu due to lack of evidence linking him directly to the offence.
In handing down ruling , Magistrate Ramaboea described corruption by public officials as a serious crime that undermines trust in local governance.
Moyo was represented by lawyer Prince Butshe of Butshe and Associates.
