The matter of the Bulawayo councilors who are being accused of allegedly extorting a businessman of US$52k has been further remanded to October 6, 2026.
They appeared before Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate, Themba Chimiso on Thursday.
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Edwin Ndlovu co-appeared with Cllr Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu and former councilor, Alderman Rodney Jele, while Cllr Mxolisi Mahlangu jointly appeared with Cllr Ashton Mhlanga.
All the accused persons are out of custody on bail.
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The councilors were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC) in August.
The court heard that ZACC had stated that investigations into the matter would be concluded by September 30 before the matter proceeds to trial.
During their court appearance, their legal representatives requested that when they return to court for the next remand, they be served with the state papers so that they may prepare for trial accordingly.
The lawyers also requested that the councilors’ phones be returned to them as they had been unlawfully seized upon arrest.
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Edwin Ndlovu was represented by Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners, Ald Jele was represented by Barbara Phiri of Prince Butshe and Associates while Cllr Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu was represented by Kholwani Ngwenya of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners.
“Your Worship, the court is already seized with a notice of an application to have the accused persons be given their phones back, which were unlawfully seized during their arrest. That notice still stands,” Ncube submitted.
“We also hope that when we come back to court on the 6th (of October) we will be served with the papers so that we can prepare for trial accordingly.”
Lawyer Ngwenya also advised the court that when councilors Mahlangu and Mhlanga also come back to court, they will be making two similar applications.
“Your Worship, we would like to advise the court that when we come back on the 6th, we will be making two applications. One will be for the release of cellphones of the accused persons, and the other will be for the serving of State papers to allow us to prepare for trial,” he said.
But Magistrate Chimiso explained that the matter of cellphones, in the case of councilors Mahlangu and Mhlanga, had already been agreed upon that the phones would be brought to the clerk of court for safekeeping.
Read more: Bulawayo Councillors Remanded in custody as Defence Challenges ZACC Evidence Handling. — CITEZW
But Ngwenya argued that the agreement that had been made in court had not yet been honored, hence the need for the application to have the phones released.
“Of course the court had ordered that the phones be brought to the clerk of court, but that has not been done Your Worship. This is why we now want to make a request that the phones be returned to their rightful owners instead,” Ngwenya said.
For the matter of Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu and Ald Jele, the State was represented by Mabusiso Moyo and in the case of councilors Mahlangu and Mhlanga, Danai Manyuka prosecuted.
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