Jele Granted US$300 Bail in US$52,000 Extortion Case

By Court Reporter

BULAWAYO — Former Bulawayo councillor Alderman Rodney Jele has been granted US$300 bail by the High Court in connection with an extortion case involving a businessman.

Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Bongani Ndlovu granted the bail after allowing Jele’s appeal against a magistrate’s earlier decision to deny him bail.

Jele was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) in August and is accused of demanding US$52,000 from a businessman over a hotel development project.

His lawyer, Kholwani Ngwenya of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners, appealed the magistrate’s decision.

In his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Ndlovu set aside the magistrate’s decision and ordered that Jele be released on bail pending trial on the extortion charge.

Jele is jointly charged with four sitting Bulawayo councillors — Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu, Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu, Mxolisi Mahlangu and Ashton Mhlanga.

The four councillors were recently granted US$500 bail each by the High Court.

Prosecutors allege that the five demanded US$52,000 from a businessman in an attempt to retain a lease for a proposed hotel development.

The lease was awarded in March 2023 to Mkhuze Global Investments, a company owned by the complainant, for the construction of the hotel.

The State alleges that in August this year, the accused told the businessman that other investors were interested in the stand and were prepared to pay US$52,000 for the cancellation of his lease.

He was allegedly told to pay the same amount if he wanted to retain the lease.

The businessman subsequently approached ZACC, which launched an undercover operation.

According to the State, the operation culminated in Jele’s arrest after the businessman handed over US$5,000 as part of the alleged payment.

Jele was allegedly arrested while counting the money at the complainant’s house.

The accused remain before the courts and the allegations have not been tested in trial.

Source: CITE