High Court Strikes Off MP's Bribery Appeal in Bulawayo

The High Court struck off Bulawayo Ward 26 councillor Mpumelelo Moyo's appeal against a bribery conviction, citing procedural failures by his new legal team. The court found that the grounds of appeal were improperly drafted, forcing the matter off the roll. Moyo had been convicted and sentenced for demanding a US$20,000 bribe from a local company. The ruling closes one of the few successful prosecutions of public corruption in the city. It simultaneously signals that the judiciary will not tolerate lax legal preparation in high-stakes graft appeals.