Two Bulawayo councillors accused alongside Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu in a US$52 000 alleged extortion case have refused to incriminate him, claiming Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) investigators pressured them to provide evidence against him.
Former councillor, Rodney Jele and serving councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu, who are both facing charges alongside the deputy mayor, made the claims in separate supporting affidavits filed in court.
The affidavits filed by the two councillors give a new account of the circumstances surrounding the arrests and shed light on the State’s case, which involves allegations that the accused councillors sought US$52 000 from a local businessman, Thulani Mthuli Matshazi, to retain a lease for a hotel development.
The accused comprise the deputy mayor, Business Committee chairperson Mxolisi Mahlangu, Stands Allocation Committee chairperson Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu, councillor Ashton Mhlanga and former councillor Jele.
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According to ZACC documents, the accused face charges of ‘bribery’ as defined under Section 170 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, alternatively ‘extortion’ as defined under Section 134 of the same Act.
ZACC lists the value involved as US$52 000, with US$5 000 recovered.
The commission says its case is supported by witness statements and communications, trap authority and trap money recovered.
The four serving councillors were granted US$500 bail on September 2, while Jele was previously denied bail.
However in his supporting affidavit, Jele said ZACC officers were determined to make him implicate the deputy mayor.
“I have read and understood the depositions on the Affidavit of Edwin Ndlovu and to avoid tautology, I fully associate myself with the material depositions relating to the background of the matter, the issues arising and relief sought,” Jele said in his affidavit.
He then described what happened following his arrest.
“The arresting details appeared to be so obsessed with the desire to incriminate the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Edwin Ndlovu. They initially employed persuasion, moved on to coercion and degenerated to threats of arrest and indeed my arrest,” Jele said.
“I refused to falsely incriminate and I have no desire to do so in spite of whatever pressure.”
Jele’s account is echoed by serving councillor -Ndlovu, who said he was initially not arrested when ZACC officers entered the premises where he was assisting the deputy mayor with his academic work.
“I was assisting Cllr Edwin Ndlovu with the typing of his dissertation. When the ZACC officers theatrically entered the premises, I was not placed under arrest. Only Mr Ndlovu was arrested and handcuffed. The officers were openly discussing that it is Edwin Ndlovu that they want,” he said.
According to Ndlovu, he was later asked to help ZACC “in their quest to nail Cllr Ndlovu”.
“I refused. Resultantly, they made me an accused person,” he said.
“I will not falsely incriminate Cllr Edwin Ndlovu on anyone. My conscience is still not as yet seared.”
In his founding affidavit, the deputy mayor denies bribing or extorting Matshazi and says there is no evidence linking him to the alleged offence.
He also disputes the State’s claim that he engaged the businessman to demand money.
Ndlovu said investigators could establish through phone records that he had never contacted the complainant.
“The only time I engaged the complainant, it was when he looked for me. He actually recorded the meeting on his gadget. (He was not aware that I saw him record). In that meeting, he insisted on meeting with me,” he said.
Ndlovu said he agreed to meet Matshazi because, as deputy mayor, he considered it part of his responsibility to engage residents.
He said the businessman had approached him over his lease and outstanding council rates.
According to Ndlovu, the arrears amounted to US$17 000 and he advised Matshazi to settle the debt before following the appropriate council processes, including a possible appeal to full council.
“I do not sit in any of the committees that deal with such issues. A point I emphasised to the complainant. Neither do I wield any power or authority over them,” he said.
Ndlovu said the businessman later informed him that he had settled the outstanding amount, after which he advised him to obtain proof of payment.
The deputy mayor denied putting pressure on the complainant or demanding money from him.
“I never put any pressure on the complainant as alleged or at all. Why would I? I was interested in settlement of the arrears as this is one of the revenue streams for Council,” he said.
Ndlovu also alleges his arrest was the culmination of an attempt by ZACC officers to build a case against him.
He said he was arrested at his business premises while working on his dissertation and described the operation as “nothing short of drama”.
Ndlovu claims investigators discussed wanting to “pin” him and says he believed he was the specific target of the operation.
He further claims Jele was pressured to incriminate him and that Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu was arrested only after refusing to cooperate with investigators.
“Even Rodney Jele, the first accused person confirmed that he was coerced to incriminate me with promises that changed from immediate release, to being made a state witness. When all these failed, he was also detained at Donnington Police Station,” he said.
The deputy mayor also points to a previous case in which he was charged by ZACC under the same bribery provision and subsequently acquitted at the close of the State’s case in November 2025.
He maintains the present allegations are “contrived, frivolous and vexatious” and says he will plead not guilty.
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