harare24dmin By Mandla Ndlovu
Bulawayo’s deputy mayor, Edwin Ndlovu, walked free on Wednesday after a local magistrate acquitted him of corruption charges linked to a proposed cement plant investment.
Ndlovu had been accused of demanding a US$20 000 bribe from a company seeking land to set up the project. However, Magistrate Richard Ramaboea cleared him of wrongdoing, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
In his judgment, Ramaboea said the State’s key evidence was “contradictory and unreliable,” leaving the court with no option but to acquit.
“The inconsistencies in the testimony of the witnesses were material and went to the root of the case,” he said. “The State did not provide sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction.”
The ruling ends months of court proceedings that had placed Ndlovu, a senior figure in the Bulawayo City Council, under scrutiny. The deputy mayor had consistently denied the allegations, insisting he was a victim of political machinations.
Speaking briefly after the verdict, Ndlovu expressed relief at the outcome, saying the judgment had vindicated him.
“I am grateful that the truth has prevailed,” he said. “I can now focus fully on serving the people of Bulawayo.”
The National Prosecuting Authority has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the decision.
The case had attracted wide public attention, given Bulawayo’s pressing need for investment and the city’s efforts to attract large-scale industrial projects.
